RIP Brian Gruzelier

Events that made Newlyn's recent fishing history during the 80s, 90s and early 200s saw a big change in fishing methods and practices as longlining and trawling were replaced almost exclusively by gill netting, ring netting an d beam trawling.

Brian Gruzelier saw all of those changes having begun fishing after he left what was then. Camborne Technical College where he studied engineering. After a short spell working inshore he joined the Merchant Navy as an Engineering officer. Eventually, as with many before and since, the lure of the long hours and tough working conditions that was trawling back then saw him fishing once again from his home of Newlyn, although he did have a short spell as an engineer working down South Crofty mine, the last working tin mine in the UK. His fishing career began in earnest with skipper Rick Stacey who had previously owned the Teekaboo and then the Porthleven built tosher Francis Jane before taking on the 40' inshore trawler New Dawn - Brian's fellow crew member at that time was Ernie Ford. Eventually, the New Dawn was sold to Bobby Jewell and Brain moved on again.

From the 80s, Brian's home at sea was with skipper Mervyn Mountjoy and fellow crew member...

Nigel 'Rockets' Richards...

aboard the ex-St Guenole trawler Galilean which was one of the pioneering prawning fleet that tried to develop a fishery for langoustine in Newlyn at the time...

in the early 1990s, having sold the Galilean, Mervyn bought the Ocean Harvester from Clinton Powell in Falmouth and continued to bottom trawl in the Western Approaches and some seasons on the Smalls for prawns...

with Brian happy to be on deck for many years...

where he along with Nigel Richards crewed alongside skipper Mervyn Mountjoy for nearly twenty years until Mervyn retired from fishing which meant...

Brian's engineering training stood him in good stead...

 

 and he took command of the Ocean Harvester...

when she was bought by Newlyn fish merchant, Trelawney Fish...

these ex-French boats were very much of their day and amenities aboard were somewhat basic as compared to today's more modern vessels...

Brian, always keen to help bring on youngsters in the port, is seen here showing a young Ian Richards the ropes, he must have helped play his part in shaping Ian's career at sea as he became a familiar face on the The Catch TV series aboard the Govenek of Ladram...

sadly, it was at that time that Brian became aware of increasing mobility issues at sea and he was eventually diagnosed with a form Parkinson's - Nigel Richards took over as skipper of the OH...

and Brian, despite his diagnosis continued to work and moved up to the bigger and more comfortable working platform that was the beam trawler, George Johannes...

as time passed, Parkinson's totally changed his life, unable to walk unaided, he found himself having to rely on a mobility scooter in order to get out of the house...

and still allow him to pursue his passion for catching fish, though this time not at sea but down on the pontoons targeting mullet and the occasional bass.

Brian was one of those totally reliable guys as fisherman and skipper - a valuable find for any boat-owner and an absolute rock for his family. His funeral notice can be read here.

Wednesday landing from the new boat, Our Frankie Shan.

First time in Newlyn for the latest addition to the Spirited fleet, Our Frankie Shan...

seen here with sisterships, Spirited Lady III and the Our Charlie Mia...

after she landed her trip at the market...

by a cheerful crew following their three-day shakedown trip, from L-R, mate David Haigh, Tadas Sakalauskas, Brackan Pearce, Ian Murdock, Jamie Smith and Evaldas Labeikis...

the local turnstones always look like they are freezing...

and so they should hundreds of boxes of top quality fish on the market again this morning like these big John Dory...

and monk tails from the new boat and its fellow fleet members...

Brackan's mighty tub gurnard...

alongside some cracking hake from the Ygraine...

there were plenty of ray wings...

and fresh monk tails from the new boat...

while almost no inshore fish except for these grey mullet...

luckily there were plenty of lemons...

and prime flats ready to go...

including turbot...

Dovers...

and whole seine net caught monk...

and plenty of haddock to keep the chip shops supplied...

the Billy Rowney also landed cuttles and octopus...

while the seiner filled a box with roe...

but only managed a single cod for the whole trip...

an empty fish tells a story - bad weather has kept the handliners from getting out to sea...

so the new grader, specifically bought to cater for the inshore boats landing smaller fish like mackerel up to 40cm in length will have to wait for another day for some fish before it is commissioned..

Medicals for fishermen - must read!

Both the NFFO and NUTFA have been working hard on behalf of thousands of inshore fishermen (who represent 80% of the industry) as yet another piece of legislation causes great concern for their livilhood and welbeing.

Folloing up from the call for evidence, NUTFA have had a huge response from fishermen in respect of the problems faced in respect of the MCA medical certification required before the deadline of the end of November 2023. 

They wrote to the CEO of the MCA in respect of the data collated but particularly wasnted to hear from fishermen who have managed a medical condition successfully for five years or more, whilst working at sea as a fisherman, whether this is a physical condition, or simply working whilst being over the weight recommendation of the BMI calculator. The letter to the MCA is available for viewing on the NUTFA Articles section of the website.

 

NUTFA were also nterested in how the Grand Father rights might work as a scheme for those fishermen who have worked successfully at sea with an ongoing medical condition, or for those who are not classed as being of perfect weight ratio. There is now a specific group of fishermen whose condition has been static for over five years at sea, whilst working hard in a fishing environment. 

If this applies to ypu please contact Sara Ready at NUTFA for more information - it could save you from a drastic outcome! sarah@nutfa.co.uk or Whatsapp her on 07402 089170 in the first instance. 

 

The NFFO too has been working with POs around the counyry to gather evidence themselves: 

Charles Blyth writes: "By the 30th November 2023, all UK fishermen will be required to have a certificate of medical fitness.

Although in principle this is a good thing, unfortunately the medical standard being applied to single handed fishermen in the UK is likely to mean that hundreds, if not thousands of small inshore, low impact and sustainable fishing vessels will no longer be able to legally operate, even if the fisherman can demonstrate a safe track record and effective management of their medical condition. Not to mention the additional strain that the assessments will put on an already exhausted NHS.

We at the NFFO are doing everything within our power to encourage the UK government to reconsider their approach to this and to avoid putting existing hard working fishermen out of business."

If you think you or your organisation can help support our fishermen in this, please do not hesitate to contact Charles.

So as not to alaram too many, this comment from a fisherman may help allay some fears:

"I wouldn't panic too much, I've had Eng1 for 20 years, I've got 2 x medical conditions that require medication and the only thing is I can only get a 1 year medical instead of 2 years, I work/have worked with people that have high bmi and high blood pressure and they still got eng1 again only 1 year. As far as I'm aware the science is now saying a bmi between 25 and 30 is healthier than under 25, I know my doctors limit is 30 before action needs to be taken."

The NFFO's position as they see it below:

Resurrection: The fall and rise of industry participation in fisheries science.

 

For all those keen to foster and further increase industry participation Fisheries Science then this lecture from Buckland Professor Steve Buckland reflecting on the development of industry participation in fisheries science and how it influenced his career path. It gives a possible insight as to how fishermen can further increase meaningful participation in the science of what they practice on a daily basis as tey run their fishing business.

Newlyn is full of fish this Monday morning!

Overcast and mizzly time to land for Sid and the boys on the Karen of Ladram, though there fish is headed for the auction at Brixham...

out of the rain the market is end-to--end with fish, mainly from the four big netters that landed over the weekend...

with big trips poof hake from the Ajax...

and when there's still blood on the fish you know its fresh...

next up is the Silver Dawn with more hake...

and some cracking tub gurnards...

the Ocean Pride targets whitte fish hence a good landing of ling...

the inshore boats had their say too with thhis big Mediterranean octopus from the Lisa Leanne...

and a couple of boxes of spider claws from the Katy B...

Bay 2 was in the process of stacks on pallets of fiish being shipped out...

like these boig early season JDs...

and some good sized greater forkbeards...

in amoingst the hake from the Silvver Dawn were these quality haddock...

and at this time of year there is no shortage of hard and soft roe coming ashore...

typical spread for a small inshore boat landing for one day at sea...

decent run of hake from the Stelissa...

while the weekend proved very slack foor the handline fleet...

a gentle remonder to all skippers that iit is time to renew your skippers parking pass...

 crabbers all set to go!