Newlyn is loaded with fish on Monday morning.

The first fridge is full of fish as far as you can see this morning...

with a big landings of hake from the Silver Dawn...

and the Stelissa...

their trips included a few dozen boxes of spurdogs which they are licensed to land under an agreement set up in close collaboration with the CFPO, Cefas and the MMO together with the Shark Trust...

after a busy bout of bidding Falfish's buyer Ed manages to find time to share a moment with young Craig Tonkin...

there are still hundreds of boxes to be sold including big landings of megrim soles...

and monk tails from the two beam trawlers tat landed over the weekend...

the Sapphire II...

and the St Georges...

whose trip included these immaculate red mullet...

and that most un-fish like fish, the Dover sole...

both trips filled number two grader chill room...

while the handline fridge was stacked out with mackerel...

and the odd bass, these two courtesy of handline man Barry on the Boy Brax...

two inshore trawlers, the New Venture...

and the Harvest Reaper both fished over the weekend despite the big, jumping spring tide in the making which can make towing a trawl in areas requiring accurate navigation in avoiding wrecks and other hitches on the bottom significantly more difficult when you only have 10m of boat and a few hundred horsepower  at your command...

not an issue for the likes of the Sapphire II which, like many of the port's trawlers lands small gurnards for pot bait...

more recently the boats have taken to landing monk heads for the same reason, what is less clear is why the guys on board are not removing the monkfish cheeks which many restaurants would pay good money for...

the porters have their work cut out tis morning getting fish back to be proessed as soon as possible...

with that many netters in the port you know that it is now spring tide time...

the Sapphire II's first job after landing is to take on board fuel...

visiting Dutch beam trawler, Jochem...

like many in their fleet is equipped with twin net drums for trawling at certain times of the year.

NEW SCIENTIFIC PAPER SHOWS SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION CRITICAL FOR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

SCIENTIFIC REVIEW SHOWS CHILDREN CAN GAIN AN AVERAGE OF 7.7 FULL IQ POINTS

A new paper published by a group of 13 leading dietary fats scientists highlights the tremendous health benefits from consuming seafood for infant and adolescent brain development. Among the key findings of the systematic review is an average 7.7 IQ point gain in children whose mothers ate seafood during pregnancy compared to mothers who did not eat seafood.

“Relationships between seafood consumption during pregnancy and childhood and neurocognitive development: two systematic reviews” (PLEFA) uncovered 44 scientific studies since 2000 that collectively show the importance of consuming seafood by moms to support the brain development of their babies as well as the need for children to consume more fish and shellfish.

The 13 scientists formed a technical expert collaborative to address two questions posed by the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), and utilized the USDA’s Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review to evaluate the science following the DGAC prescribed review process.

Highlights from the paper, which evaluates studies on 102,944 mother-offspring pairs and 25,031 children, includes:

• Twenty-four studies reported that seafood consumption among mothers was associated with beneficial outcomes to neurocognition on some or all of the tests administered to their children. The beneficial outcomes appeared on tests administered as early as three days of age and as late as 17 years in age.

• In the studies that reported beneficial associations with IQ, children gain an average of 7.7 full IQ points when their moms ate seafood during pregnancy compared to moms that did not eat seafood. The size of benefits for IQ ranged from 5.6 to 9.5 points.

• In addition to IQ, measures of neurocognitive outcomes included verbal, visual and motor skill development, scholastic achievement, and four specifically looked at hyperactivity and ADHD diagnoses. One finding showed that children of mothers not eating oily seafood had nearly three times greater risks of hyperactivity.

• Benefits to neurocognitive development began at the lowest amounts of seafood consumed in pregnancy (one serving or about 4 oz per week) and some studies looked at greater than 100 oz. per week. No adverse effects of seafood consumption were found for neurocognition in any of the 44 publications.

• Seafood contains nutrients including zinc, iron, choline, folate, iodine, selenium, vitamins A, D, B6, and B12, and omega-3 fatty acids that may contribute as a whole package to these important outcomes. The systematic review focused on studies that examined seafood consumption rather than studies that focused on individual nutrients.

• “The risk is not eating enough seafood — the benefits are substantial for the development of baby brains, eyes and overall nervous system,” said J. Thomas Brenna, PhD, an author of the paper and a member of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.

These findings are consistent with a technical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics earlier this year that emphasized the importance of fish and called attention to the fact that U.S. children are not eating enough seafood. Additionally, Health Canada, the European Food Safety Authority, and World Health Organization have all stated the importance of seafood for brain development.

An additional paper, “An abundance of seafood consumption studies presents new opportunities to evaluate effects on neurocognitive development,” published in PLEFA provides more background on the systematic review paper.

The authors of the papers include: Capt. Joseph Hibbeln, MD; Philip Spiller, JD; J. Thomas Brenna, PhD; Jean Golding, PhD; Bruce Holub, PhD; William Harris, PhD; Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RDN; Bill Lands, PhD; Sonja Connor, MS, RDN, LD; Gary Myers, MD; J.J. Strain, PhD; Michael A Crawford, PhD; Susan Carlson, PhD; Gretchen Vannice, RDN; Robert McNamara, PhD; Michael Tlusty, PhD; and Norman Salem Jr., PhD. None of the scientists were paid to conduct this review, all were voluntary, and do not have a conflict of interest.

Full story from the Seafood Nutrition Partnership.

APPG on Fisheries Newsletter

Welcome to the APPG on Fisheries newsletter. Through regular updates, we aim to keep you informed of policy developments, Parliamentary announcements and sector headlines. We also provide round-ups of current Committee inquiries and fisheries-focused monitoring of the Parliamentary record, Hansard. Contents Use the links below to rapidly navigate around the newsletter. Parliament News | Fisheries News | Hansard Monitoring Upcoming Event Our next event will cover the socioeconomics of fishing communities, examining the causes behind social and economic challenges and how these could be addressed. As always, a diverse audience is welcomed. Find out more or contact us at secretariat@fisheriesappg.org Parliament News APPG Meets with Norwegian Parliamentarians Many APPG Members and recently engaged Parliamentarians gathered on Monday in Westminster Hall's Grand Committee Room to meet Norway's visiting Standing Committee on Business and Industry Affairs, who lent a unique insight into fishing policy as an independent coastal state. Public Consultation on Marine Planning Opens Last week, the Marine Management Organisation launched a public consultation on marine planning in England. The consultation will remain open until 6 April, and you are encouraged to share your thoughts on the draft marine plans. Lords Debate on Landing Obligation Yesterday, the House of Lords chamber debated two reports on the efficacy of the Landing Obligation, published by the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee last year. You can watch the debate on the parliamentlive.tv website. Track the Progress of the Fisheries Bill It is likely that the recent introduction of a new government will mean that the Fisheries Bill will undergo significant changes before exiting Parliament. Look out for the APPG reporting on any changes in due course. Read our digest of the current Bill on the APPG blog. Fisheries News A round-up of the latest UK-relevant fishing news from a variety of sources. International Marine Climate Change Centre Launched by Cefas The new centre aims to foster scientific collaboration in order to further understanding of climate change’s impacts on marine and coastal environments. Concerns over Potential Brexit Trade-Off of Fishing Rights For Market Access It has been postulated that negotiations could involve allow EU vessels to access UK waters, in return for the UK's access to the EU’s financial markets. New Array of Awards to Celebrate Country's Top Fishmongers The Master Fishmonger Standard is releasing a new suite of awards to recognise commitments to sustainability and engagement with fishing communities. UK Government Calls for International Engagement on Marine Protection Environment Minister Rebecca Pow has called for governments around the world to support the 30by30 initiative, which aims to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. Effective Fisheries Management is Working, According to Global Analysis A new study suggests that nearly half of fish stocks worldwide are scientifically monitored, and that on average these stocks are increasing in abundance. New Protections for England's Rare and Vulnerable Seabirds Environment Minister Rebecca Pow announced the legislation, which will involve regulators working with local fishing communities to manage protected areas. Hansard Monitoring Hansard is the official record of debates, votes and ministerial statements in Parliament. Our newsletters gather together any debates or questions concerning fisheries that have recently taken place. Debate on direct payments to farmers, including reference to the Fisheries Bill Debate on growth strategy, including mention of growth in the fisheries sector Question on support for businesses in Scotland, including fishing trade bodies Debate on the Lowestoft tidal flood barrier, including impact on the fishing industry Debate on post-Brexit tariffs for Northern Ireland, including mention of fishing Question on measures to increase salmon stocks in England Ministerial statement on the December Agriculture and Fisheries Council Debate on potential trade-offs in Brexit negotiations, including fishing rights Debate on a green industrial revolution, including the East Anglian fishing industry Debate on the EU Withdrawal Agreement, including potential concessions on fishing Question on the Landing Obligation for under-10m vessels Question on insufficient catch data for under-10m vessels Debate on the EU Withdrawal Agreement, including the Common Fisheries Policy Question on the European Court of Justice, including fishing laws Question on fishing and marine policy after Brexit Question on promotion of the under-10m fleet after Brexit Debate on separation issues, including fishing trade for Northern Ireland Question on employment of foreign crews in the Scottish fishing sector Question on support for the Scottish fishing industry

For more information, contact the APPG on Fisheries Secretariat Katrina Ryan, Sara Mynott and Jacob Ashton secretariat@fisheriesappg.org

Newlyn is full of #FishyFrdiay fish.

Plenty of pollack landed this morning from the net boats...

along with spurdogs from the few netters that are licensed to land them - they have a 1 ton quoat per month...

rays of all kind still figure in landings...

pristine pollack...

and a box of sea urchins restaurant bound...

plenty of MSC Certified hake form the Ajax...

big beam trawl trips from the Twilight III and the Algrie were stacked 6 and seven high...

included plenty of Dovers...

a few bass...

some big turbot...

well spotted plaice...

a good selection of brill...

and plenty of big monk tails...

and even more megrim sole...

while all but a few handliners found any mackerel marks worth catching...

huss still make the occasional appearance on the market...

while even though cuttlefish landings seem to have dwindled rapidly they still leave their almost indelible mark on the market floor...

also landing hake was the netter BritanniaV...

along with the odd tub gurnard...

and a mighty ling...

fresh ray ooze a slime, a good sign of their hours-old status...

big visiting scalloper  Can Bounteous on passage...

there's no stopping that man Roger.

This Fishing Life: Falmouth's fishing female takes mussels, oysters and fish.

Quintessential Cornish creeks and rivers as written about by Daphne du Maurier featured in this week's episode of This fishing Life as the camera focuses on two family businesses operating from opposite sides of the river Fal from where Falmouth gets its name...

sister and brother Nicky and Jason work two boats, one being a classic sail powered fishing boat towing a single dredge for oysters during the season that runs from October to March in the shallow waters...

the other is a forty foot wooden trawler that they have invested everything in so that they can fish all year round...

a move that sees them struggle, despite help from father for the whole summer as a succession of mechanical and gear problems make themselves apparent at seemingly every turn the boat makes...

at one moment, when the boat yet again, is awaiting a repair yet they set off their punt...

looking for mussels growing just under the waterline of pontoons and buoys in the rivers to literally scrape a living...

meanwhile, brothers Cameron, Ivor, and Magnus Henry work their multi-purpose boat for anything that will crawl or swim into their pots...

which not only includes brown crab...

but shrimps...

and even ballan wrasse for which there is an insatiable demand from fish farms as wrasse feed on the myriad of parasites tat flourish in fish farms...

single-handed trawl fisherman Peter Green works his...

boat throughout the year in and around Falmouth Bay...

years of experience and an intimate knowledge of the seabed littered with rocks, wrecks, old sailing ship anchors provide him with a living that Nicky and Jason in their new trawler Fair Morn will aim to emulate, mechanical challenges permitting...

the end of the programme see the both of them head back to their sail-powered oyster boat...

recounting the days when there were hundreds of fishermen and their families housed in the dozens of granite cottages lined the banks of the creeks and estuary - most of which have now become second homes - making it almost impossible for today's fishing families to ;live as close to their boats as they would like.

Next Tuesday evening on BBC2 will see Episode 4 focus on the men who work predominantly single-handed from punts or small inshore boats based in Penberth Cove, Sennen Cove, Newlyn and the Helford River.