“Bass, pollack, trawl, where is fisheries management headed?" - a familiar story?

“From March 15, the end of the voluntary biological rest period of the association of liners from the tip of Brittany, the member liners working in the Bay of Biscay will return to the sea to search for their main target species: the bass. Not without concern. Indeed, the year 2022 was for most of them the worst they had seen in their entire career.

A disastrous assessment shared with other fleets: the assessment of the bass fishery in the Bay of Biscay is 1,851 tonnes, or 76% of the authorized catch ceiling (2,446 tonnes). How to explain such a poor balance sheet when the management rules have been relaxed in recent years: increase in the national catch ceiling, quarterly limit, increase in the ceiling for off-licences, etc.? In short, the worse the fishing, the more the rules are relaxed…

The basics of “old-fashioned” fisheries management that drove the industry into the wall at the end of the century! So for lack of bass, it was necessary to refer to other species: pollack, snapper. But the situation for pollack seems even worse than that for bass! All the fishermen are unanimous, the pollack resource has decreased very sharply, and we find the same ingredients as for the bass: insufficient scientific knowledge, almost non-existent management measures, minimum size below the size of sexual maturity, intensive fishing in winter, unlimited recreational fishing, virtual disappearance of large individuals, etc. In 2021 in the Bay of Biscay, France landed 600 tonnes of pollack for a fishing quota of 1,200 tonnes, obtained from“high fight” by the Ministry of (over) Fishing. Look for the error!

"We therefore want to move to a situation that would bring down the entire Breton fishing industry..."

The year 2023 is therefore not starting under the best auspices. For handliners as for all the rest of the fleet, and in particular coastal trawlers which are threatened with a ban in marine protected areas from 2030. The latter, and in particular the Natura 2000 areas, represent a very important part of the coastal zone, and many ships have been working there without any restriction measures for several decades. We therefore want to move abruptly from a situation decried by ecologists where everything is allowed or almost, to a situation that would bring down the entire Breton fishing industry. 

Could we at some point find our sanity? Yes, fishing still needs to progress so that we can finally find a healthier ocean, but socio-economic issues must also be taken into account before defining dates and cutting measures with such strong impacts: fishing is a socio-ecosystem with many interdependencies between actors: auctions, fish trade, shipyards and equipment, etc. We have lost too many boats and sailors for too long, all to the benefit of increasingly intensive or industrial fishing. Applying such a measure is a jackpot for industrial fishing!

Furthermore, we ourselves could be prohibited from fishing for the sand eel that we use as bait with our small sand eel trawls, on the underwater dunes located in the areas concerned. It is essential to better protect the marine environment, but this cannot be done by sacrificing most of our industry. 

Full story courtesy by Gwen Pennarun, liner and president of the tip of Brittany liner association.

Biggest UK beamer launch, Admiral Gordon to join the South West fleet!

Parkol Marine were excited to announce the launch of New Build 058 at Middlesbrough on Friday. Many of their followers have been looking forward to seeing the completed vessel...

So it's congratulations to the vessel owners on the launch of Admiral Gordon PH-330, a 27.3m LOA beam trawler. It has been a pleasure working with you all, best wishes from everyone at Parkol...

The vessel will undergo completion and commissioning work over the next few weeks before sailing to Whitby at the beginning of April for final trials...

then travel to her home port of Plymouth for an official Christening before taking up fishing duties.

A special thanks to the designers SC McAllister as well as our landlord, Port of Middlesbrough,

Sarens crane company,

and all of our employees,

 and suppliers who worked on the Project AV Dawson Limited.

Admiral Gordon is the first over 20-metre beam trawler to be designed and built in the UK for 30 years, a massive achievement to all involved, British Manufacturing at its best!

We look forward to seeing her pay a visit to newlyn in the future where she will replace the old Admiral Gordon, her name is synonymous with some great British seafaring history!

Plymouth-based beam trawler, Admiral Gordon is owned by Interfish, white fish processors and merchants from Plymouth.  For many years the Gordon was skippered by the popular Newlyn fisherman, Archie Donaldson before his untimely death in 2012.

In 2008 the boat, skippered by Archie, undertook a series of Seafish gear trials under the auspices of Gus Caslake investigating the potential use of outrigger trawls (a style of fishing popular in Australia) fishing for flats, langoustine and cuttlefish. 

A similar trial was carried out by the Brixham beam trawler, Linquenda back in 1983 fishing with two IC Prawn trawls on the Smalls SW of Milford. 

The full story of the Admiral Gordon trials can be read here.

The Admiral Gordon is one of three identical boats, the other boats in the Interfish fleet are the Admiral Grenville and the Admiral Blake. 

Admiral Gordon was once described as the 'Last of Nelson's captains' and thought to be the principal model for the heroic character of CS Forester's Horatio Hornblower.  In 18811 he lost a leg after a cannonball shattered a knee in the Battle of Lissa and spent the rest of his life with a wooden leg. 

Interestingly, the prefix admiral is a misnomer for Blake who was actually ranked as a 'General at Sea' - himself being credited with being the founding father  of the British Navy and the first to introduce rules of engagement of the kind used by Nelson to defeat the French and Spanish on many occasions.

Unlike Blake, who was first and foremost a soldier, Admiral Grenville had Navy blood coursing through his veins, his father being the unlucky Robert Grenville, captain of the Mary Rose at the time of her sinking. Grenville was keen to pursue fame and fortune and with an air British superiority and the kind of thinking that would eventually lead to the creation of the British Empire he submitted this patent in 1574:

"Supplication for a new navigation, permission to seek rich and unknown lands, to discover and annex all or any lands, islands, and countries beyond the Equinoxial, or where the Pole Antarctic hath any elevation above the horizon, such lands not being already possessed by any other Christian Prince. The planting of people and habitations in strange and unknown lands. Need not offend foreign powers or provoke war, provided no attempts were made to take from other civilised nations anything they already possess. Such expeditions should be composed of voluntary adventurers; but under patronage and benediction of the Crown; the leaders having authority from the Queen to require that obedience, quiet, unity, and order be maintained. Gilbert an m'self having pointed out to her Majesty that such undertakings would provide work and livelihood for many of her subjects; and also bring honour and strength to Your Majesty with immortal fame, … besides great enrichment of Your Highness and your country, with increase and maintenance of the Navy."

Grenville was one of many Devon and Cornish sailors who plundered the high seas with their privateers (Killigrew House near Truro was one such estate built on the rewards of 'legitimate' piracy) but would go down in history as the captain of the Revenge who singlehandedly and suicidally took on 53 Spanish ships off Flores in the Azores. The battle saw him decimate the Spanish fleet in a battle over three days that cost him his life through injury - ironically, most of the fleet including the Revenge were lost in a huge storm a few days later. Tennyson's poem, 'The Revenge: A Battle of the Fleet' tells the story in graphic detail.

Closer to home, the inshore boat, Lady Hamilton boasts a connection with Britain's greatest naval commander - a story for another day.

Fish of the Day - week 18 - the grey gurnard

On this #FishyFriday and the spiky subject of fish species, let's take a moment to send some fish-love and 'all the best' thoughts to one of Newlyn's most enduring characters; fish market boss and walking database of every fish that has been landed on the marlet for the last fifty years or more to our very own Lionel.

Lionel referring to his fish bible and sharing info on the Greenland shark with assistant harbour,aster Jedna.

The man is a veritable walking encyclopaedia of fish facts and is the go-to person whenever the harbour has educational or indeed royal visits. 

Lionel at the forefront of yet another royal visit, seen heand giving Camilla and the then Prince Charles the lowdown on many of the fish landed at Newlyn during their visddit in 2022.

Lionel is a keen angler himself so will be itching to get a rod in his hand again after major heart surgery from the trusty cardiolgy team up at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth - all the best Lionel!

Grey and red guranrd side-by-side

Tons of gurnards are landed in Newlyn every week. The majority are red gurnard as can be seen from this box but in amongst the splash of red skins are a smattering of grey. These tasty fish are caught by trawlers in the fleet and can be found at any depth and on any kind of seabed. Many of the fish too small to eat are sold to the crabbing fleet for pot bait.

Gurnards are bizarre looking fish with a large bony head and distinctive snow plough shaped profile. For years they were thrown back or used as bait by fishermen but in recent years people have realised that they make great eating and their popularity is on the rise. Gurnards use modified fin rays as feeling legs as they feel their way around on the seabed tasting and feeling for their prey, crustaceans and worms

As the Cornwall Good Seafood Guoode tells us, "Gurnard have historically been discarded and only recently have they been appreciated as a food fish. Gurnards are fast growing and abundant fish although more research is needed to ascertain how well gurnard stocks are fairing their populations seem to be stable in Cornish waters. Avoid eating gurnards less than 25cm in length and during spawning season (April – August). There is some indication that stocks are ok from The EVHOE-WIBTS-Q4 survey, which, has shown a slight increase in abundance in red gurnard stocks in the Celtic sea and the bay of Biscay, since its beginning in the 1990's."

Management is currently minimal, gurnard are a non quota spcies and there are no limits on catches. Landings to Cornwall are steady around 20 tonnes per year. In 2019 a total of 26 tonnes of red gurnard were landed to Cornish ports with a value of £54k (MMO data)."

#FishyFriday in Newlyn

These insulated tubs are now waiting for the next sardine season to start, which will be some time in July and well into the time to get the BBQs on!..

plenty of post lined up on the qauy with the port's biggest crab fleet all in port, albeit briefly...

on the market the netters Ajax and Ygraine landed hake trips...

along with a few boxes of biug white fish liike these ling...

while the Spited Lady III was the only trawler to put a trip ashore with fish like haddock...

and good examples of grey and red gurnard...

while the Celtic Dawn's whitefoish included pollack...

fish like these dogfish go for pot bait...

while whiting make for grewwat fish and chip suppers...

sweet, succu;lent cuttlefish make a great alternative to squid...

with just a handful of small boats att sea some manged to pick up a ffew grey mullet with its big flaky flesh...

many hands make light work it seems...

to help get keep George happy back in his base at Port Isaac...

the ebver-hungry residernt harbour seal who was spotted with a friend the other morning...

plansd are in hand to return the Old harbour to working order and help develop it's place as a heritage  harbour and base for luggers and other historic activities - more news soon!
 

Landing in Shetland to save fuel - skipper Peter Bruce explains.

 

Peter Bruce, skipper of the Peterhead trawler Budding Rose, explains how landing some of the boat's catches in Lerwick, Shetland, saves fuel costs. Prices at the markets in Shetland are also very good, he says.

Skippers know that Shetland is surrounded by some of the richest fishing grounds in the world. Consequently, more than half of the fish landed in the UK comes from within 100 nautical miles of the islands.

At a time of high fuel prices and growing concerns about the carbon footprint associated with food production, a campaign has been launched to inform fishermen of how landing their catches in Shetland save time, fuel, money, and carbon.

The Land in Shetland campaign is being run jointly by Lerwick Port Authority (LPA) and Shetland Islands Council (SIC), with support from other local partners.

LPA and SIC have invested heavily in state-of-the-art new fish markets in Lerwick and Scalloway, which means Shetland is not only close to the major fishing grounds but has fantastic modern infrastructure and is a suitable location for midway landings that can quickly be transported to key markets.

In addition to the main ports and fish markets at Lerwick and Scalloway, there is a designated landing port in Cullivoe. All the necessary support services, from engineering to ice, are readily available at each location, allowing for fast vessel turnaround times. Shetland is a one-stop-shop for all fishing vessel needs. Please visit Shetland Islands Council Ports Information for services available at Scalloway & Cullivoe and a Directory of Services available at Lerwick.”

More information at www.landinshetland.com

Mid-week landing for the fleet's star ship, Enterprise.

After a tempestuous week at sea...

 

the Enterprise makes her way in through the gaps...

skipper Nathan seen looking through the window that, despite being a long way above the deck of the 44m boat was hit by a green wave during the trip,  the wave was large enough to force water into the wheelhouse...

Trigger gets to sort some quality fish and...

it's all smiles down the fishroom...

as John and Roal hook up boxes of cuttles twelve at a time...

guided by the remotely controlled landing winch...

and landed safely on the back of the lorry by M and Little Graham...

before being taken to the market for tomorrow's auction...

the turquoise fleet are all in...

boxes at the ready...

to go aboard the Billy Rowney once she gets her gear sorted.

New members appointed to Fishing into the Future Board of Trustees

 

A few of FITF’s Trustees and Executive Director at the 2022 Fishing News Awards.

L-R Steven Mackinson, Hazel Curtis, Mike Park, Emma Plotnek, Hannah Fennell, Adrian Bartlett & Ashley Mullenger.

Five new industry experts have been appointed to the Fishing into the Future (FITF) board of trustees, bringing new insights to guide its charitable activities.

The industry-led charity, Fishing into the Future is an independent UK charity with a mission to deliver long term, sustainable and prosperous fisheries through collaboration, effective dialogue, and mutual understanding between fisheries management, science, and industry stakeholders. Their unique approach ensures that charitable activities are relevant and guided by industry, maintaining minimum of 2/3rds of the Trusteeship as active industry representatives.

As of February 2023, five new Trustees have joined the FITF board of Trustees, creating renewed momentum and new perspectives to guide future projects. The new trustees include Carl Davies a commercial fishermen, skipper, and Marine Science graduate from Conwy; Jenny and Karl Price, a fishing family and owners of the vessel Isobella M, fishing for shellfish out of Bridlington; Jamie Robertson, the Managing Director of the Holderness Fishing Industry Group (HFIG) and Alison Freeman, Fisheries Programme Manager at The Fishmongers'​ Company.

The Trustees are currently sharing ideas around promoting and preparing for co-management and industry participation in the science used in decision making, specifically getting involved in bringing back FITF’s popular in-person events for later in the year, with the Board of Trustees currently focused on planning learning experiences to support engagement in Fisheries Management Plans, to share knowledge and create connections to promote mutual dialogue between the fishing industry, scientists, and fisheries managers.

Emma Plotnek, FITF Executive Director said:

“We have many experienced, forward-thinking people on our Trusteeship, and bringing new people onboard shows us that they support our core values and believe in the potential we have as a charity.

David Stevens, FIFT Chairperson said:

“We are injecting new ideas and energy into the charity, and continually striving to ensure we grow and adapt in response our belief that long-term sustainability requires fishermen at the heart of fisheries co-management.”

Newly inducted Trustee, Jamie Robertson from HFIG, said:

“As the head of a shell fisherman’s trade association, also participating in industry-led research with our own research vessel, I’m keen to share my insights and guidance with the charity and looking forward to see FITF’s work can benefit the fishermen we work with."

Newly inducted Trustee, Alison Freeman from Fishmongers’ Company, said:

“I am delighted to have been accepted onto the Board of Trustees at Fishing into the Future. Having worked with Emma and the Trustees for a few years’, I know first-hand the passion and effort that goes into supporting dialogue between stakeholders and an industry-led approach to management and science.”

Jenny and Karl Price, Fishing Family from Bridlington, said:

"We are excited to be part of the FITF team, having gotten to know their work participating on a project together, we are looking forward to being able to put our ideas and knowledge into the mix and helping to bridge the gap between fishermen and science."

The full board of Trustees can be viewed on FITF’s website. If you would like to get involved with the charity you can visit the website, follow them on social media or contact the FITF Executive Director, Emma Plotnek, for more information.