Fine #FishyFriday in Newlyn

It's that time of year when boats need to go on the hard, dry out over a tide and have their bottoms scrubbed, anodes replaced and stern tube checked...

it's also the time of year when spiders abound...

so it's good to see young Jamie on the Islander..

keeping another store pot full of spiders steady...

as he and father Mick...

load up a tub...

though not for anyone with a fear of arachnids perhaps...

ready for the transport...

and it's always good to see some innovative recycling of harbour boxes...

news that the water temperature in the North Atlantic are at record levels may have something to do with the number of species that seem to have dramatically changed in numbers on the ground, unlike the spiders from the Islander, this haul is from Matt's New Venture an inshore trawler - the seabed must be alive with them...

while the record temperatures continue, inshore oats seem to be catching bass...

and pollack...

but mackerel landings are almost zero in Mounts Bay, though the same can't be said for octopus...

back in the main market landings from the bigger boats included big shots of haddock

monk...

turbot...

and hake...

while the inshore boats made the best of what is traditionally the slackest time of year for inshore trawling...

so a smattering of John Dory are more than welcome...

Dover soles are not called 'stickers' for nothing...

plenty of fish to haul around keeps the staff looking trim...

a box of inshore Dovers tops off the day's landings...

the Cornwall Fish Direct team at rest between tides...

masterful boat handling on display as the harbour punt Trewidden II is brought alongside...

must be summer with all these small yachts around...

another Waterdance boat goes up on the slip...

once upon a time, over twenty green beam trawlers filled the quay berths here.

 

Recruitment of local crews IS a major issue that needs dealing with - nationally.

Yet another story in the main media - this time an article in the Financial Times - drawing attention to the plight of migrant crews - this time one based in Kilkeel, Northern ireland.

Fishing News ran a story as soon as it could after the Time post - and included a heartflet response from Harry Wick, CEO of the NI PO:

‘One-sided and selective’: NI industry reacts to criticism Harry Wick, CEO of the Northern Ireland FPO and a member of the Fishermen’s Welfare Alliance, provides his personal reaction to the Financial Times article

It is upsetting and distressing for all of us when one of our fishing family suffers an injury at work, and absolutely heartbreaking when one of our own is diagnosed as terminally ill. The fact that employers and organisations named in the article didn’t have their side of the story published, or get to fully share with readers the actions they took to support their crew, shows that some in the media have no qualms about exploiting personal tragedy as long as it helps them get clicks on a website.

That this no longer comes as a surprise is not to deny there are any issues in our industry. When health and safety routines break down, we should of course scrutinise and shine a light on what went wrong. That is how we get better. Both health and safety and welfare are processes in which the industry should and does look for continuous improvement.

However, to attempt to blacken the reputation of our industry by selective reporting, containing more imaginative suggestion than fact, isn’t what any serious observer will recognise as responsible. No matter how much flowery language the article uses, it is ultimately narrative-building by omission, and reckless use of the journalistic hatchet to chop off the bits of truth that don’t help sell the story.

Let’s look at some of those omissions, because they are glaring indeed! Industry has long recognised the faults of the transit visa, and long lobbied the government to develop a more appropriate system. That they haven’t is their failing, not ours. It was the industry that had fishermen recognised as skilled workers, not least so we might better look after the welfare of our crews and drive wages up for the lowest paid, local and foreign alike. It was industry in Northern Ireland that was the first to give unrestricted access to an independent charity that they might audit and advise on best practice for crew welfare.

These days, for a myriad of reasons it seems the fishing industry, like many that require more than just sitting at a warm, comfortable desk with regular breaks, finds itself heavily reliant on foreign crews - with all the issues that there employment brings.

It really is time there was a concerted effort by the industry to up interest and recruitment in every sector from coastal areas - never has the need for a single voice representing the industry been greater. A single fishing industry union could just be the way ahead.

Muggy Monday morning in Newlyn.

Another fine start to the week in sunny Newlyn...

with two netters landing trips that included the much unloved spurdog...

alongside the MSC hake...

and more dogs!..

the rest of the market was loaded with inshore fish from trawlers like these brill...

and John Dory from the New Venture...

while the two Scottish prawn boats, Revival and Sparkling Star put their white fish ashore including these megrim soles...

and several hundred boxes of haddock between them...

with his boat currently tied up, skipper Peter is busy reporting on progress on the busy auction floor...

to see that the top quality inshore fish like these pollack...

octopus...

and slack boxes of mackerel all go to their correct destinations...

along with the bigger landings of hake...

and whole monk from the two prawn boats...

the scallop season is still seeing landings...

while the ring netters are busy getting new or repaired nets back aboard the boats in preparation for the expected sardine season start in July...

the Trevessa IV gives her cod ends an airing between trips with the Sparkling Star lying astern of her...

seems it's not only slim pickings with the mackerel men...

Stan and the crew of the Kelly of Ladram have plenty of work to do stripping out damaged nets...

and the Karen N waits for the next high tide to come down off the slip...

Winter of Ladram landing her crab catch to the waiting lorry transport...

at this time of year the marina yacht berths are always full...

the Twilight III might be against the quay for some time depending on a decision about her seized main engine...

Newlyn continues to be a huge source of inspiration, this time the youngsters get their chance to show off the results of their creative endeavours at both the Newlyn and Exchange galleries.