RIP Ex-Newlyn Harbourmaster Andrew Munson 1952-2021

Andrew Munson - Newlyn Harbourmaster 1979-2013

Andrew Munson first joined the harbour as a Trainee Clerk in 1969, after discovering during the school holidays while crabbing aboard the Mes Creiz that severe seasickness was never going to leave him alone. He was appointed Harbour Master and Clerk to the Commissioners ten years later. During his time as Harbour Master Andrew saw many major improvements...

including the building of the Mary Williams Pier in 1980, and its 90m extension in 1988...

and he oversaw totally refurbished the old Fish Market which was almost totally open to the elements and entirely unsuitable for selling fish 90% of which was bought and exported to the EU...

the pontoon system in 2006...

and the improvements to the slipway facilities in 2006.

Over the years, Andrew helped to host many royal visits, including HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, HRH Duke of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, and also the late Diana, Princess of Wales. He has also helped to host many Governmental and other official visits to Newlyn...

and helped initiate Radio Cornwall's harbourmaster reports on James Churchfield breakfast show keeping the public informed on all the latest harbour comings and goings.

Throughout his career Andrew has been at the centre of Newlyn life and has helped the local community and the harbour in many ways, both professionally and personally. He was an active member of the Local Advisory Committee of the Fisherman’s Mission and a former Chairman of Newlyn Lights.

Andrew was very much the hands-on harbourmaster...

and a skilled boatsman never afraid to take to the water...

and get his hands dirty to keep the fleet safe when needed..

or step aboard to hear for first-hand what the problems were.

He was also the French Consular Agent for Cornwall having helped many injured French fishermen with repatriation to France after their hospital care...

and for these services he was awarded the French Honour of Knight of the Maritime Merit Order...

He was just as happy chatting to the regular Dutch and Belgian skippers when they made a safe-haven in the port...

Being harbourmaster for that length of time meant that he also witnessed great change in the fishing industry witnessing the demise of the huge fleet of mackerel handliners that assembled every winter in the '70s to the growth of Newlyn as the premier port home to the biggest beam trawl and gill net fleet in the UK...

and, of course, he was never far from every major incident in the area including the loss of the Penlee lifeboat in 1981...

subsequently, Andrew was Penlee Life Boat Operations Manager from 1989 and later awarded the RNLI Gold Award in recognition of his services to the RNLI in 2012.

All in all, looking back on his time as harbourmaster, Andrew, with some degree of satisfaction, could surely say that he had seen the harbour through some seriously challenging times as old practices and resistance to change continued to defy an industry at odds with a world increasingly dominated by forces that would bring in change no matter what and that the harbour was in a better place then than when he had started as clerk to the commissioners back in the 60s.

RIP Andrew.

Oral evidence: Labour shortages in the food and farming sector.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Read the full transcript:

Oral evidence: Labour shortages in the food and farming sector, HC 713

Tuesday 16 November 2021

Ordered by the House of Commons to be published on 16 November 2021. Watch the meeting

Members present: 

Neil Parish (Chair); Ian Byrne; Barry Gardiner; Mrs Sheryll Murray; Julian Sturdy; Derek Thomas. Questions 169 - 282

Witnesses

I: George Eustice, Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; David Kennedy, Director-General, Food, Farming and Bio-Security, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Written evidence here

Consultation is open for: Operation of Small Fishing Vessels of less than 15 metres Length overall

 

The Department of Transport is preparing to publish a revision of its Code of Practice for Small Fishing Vessels, entitled: “Code of Practice for the Design, Construction, Equipment and Operation of Small Fishing Vessels of less than 15 metres Length overall”.

This Code of Practice sets the standards of safety and protection for all persons on board small fishing vessels, of less than 15 metres length overall, which go to sea to fish for profit. 

The Code of Practice deals with the vessel construction, its machinery, equipment and stability, and its correct operation, so that safety standards are maintained and contains mandatory requirements, in addition to recommendations.

It is anticipated that the new version will apply from 1 January 2022 and interested parties are now invited to provide comments on the latest revised version (copy below). Observations should be made to the Maritime Safety Policy Division at maritimesafetypolicydivision@transport.gov.ie by close of business Friday, 10 December 2021.

From Department of Transport, Ireland.

Published on 8 November 2021 

Open for submissions from 8 November 2021 

Submissions closed 10 December 2021

First #FishyFriday in December.

Just the two beam trawlers landing any trips of fish on this Friday's market, cod is not landed in any quantity at this time of year...

name these fish...

some of the more unusual fish landed by the BillY Rowney included red mullet by the boxfull... 

along with squid...

and greater weavers, their poisonous dorsal spines having been carefully removed when caught...

congers often have a rather odd expression on their faces...

possibly these ray are so named because the pattern on the topside of them vaguely resembes that of a fledgling cuckoo...

the Cornishman had their fair share of mullet too...

whileboth boats landed good shots of lemons...

monk...

plaice...

megrim...

and Dover soles...

plenty fo handliners put to sea for the very best in quality fish like this brace of bass...

red mullet...

and mackerel...

big tides mean the netting fleet has a few days off between trips...

Cornishman, all lit up and ready to go later today...

this HGV waiting on the quay would suggest there's a flag of convenience boat on the way in to land.
 

Irish fishing industry films

 

Other European nations have taken billions of euro worth of fish from Irish Waters since Ireland signed up to the Common Fisheries Policy. Yes, this fish is sustainably caught, but it is caught by European vessels, not Irish vessels, with the economic benefit going to our European neighbours rather than to Ireland. This Documentary lays bare the decades of exploitation of Irish fishing families by the Common Fisheries Policy. 

Ireland has been working behind the scenes to become a major Fish Processing nation. Is it really 'adios' to Ireland's catching sector? 

Since the Seafood Task Force Final Report was published last month I have been investigating the reasons behind the surprising budgetary allocations proposed by the Task Force; primarily the large figure earmarked for the Processing sector and the small figure set aside for a sizeable Decommissioning scheme. 

Over the last few weeks I ended up unfolding a web of intrigue that encompasses Vigo in northwestern Spain, Castletownbere, Sligo, Killybegs and Kilmore Quay. This train has already left the station, with full official backing to the very highest level in Ireland and Europe. 

If you are a fisherman, or are from a fishing family or community, make a cup of tea right now and sit down and watch every minute of this. I set out everything I discovered and I interview Brendan Byrne, CEO of the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association. Sean Moroney.

Films courtesy of The Fishers Voice.

Free safety guide for fishing vessels.

Free safety guide for fishing vessels

Preparing and presenting your vessel properly for inspection or survey will save you both time and money. Forward planning and preparation could make the difference between success and failure. This leaflet sets out useful advice to help ensure that your next inspection or survey is a successful one. Applying for inspection or survey Apply early to your local Marine Office. Your inspection or survey can begin up to six months before your Fishing Vessel Certificate expires. Your local Marine Office can advise you of this date of expiry if you are unsure. Organise your inspection or survey to limit the number of visits the inspector or surveyor must make. If your vessel is well prepared, then most inspections or surveys can be completed in one visit.

For all those fishermen in the south west, Clive at Seafood Cornwall Training Clive is here to help:

Contact 07967 009412 or safety@seafoodcornwalltraining.co.uk

Under 15m LOA Vessels

For vessels of less than 15m Length Overall (LOA) the first visit to inspect the vessel against MSN 1871 is free, but any return visits will be charged for. Vessels of 15m LOA and over

Most surveys on vessels of over 15m can be completed in two visits. The most efficient order for these surveys is an ‘out of water’ survey followed by an ‘afloat’ survey.

Ensure your Marine Consultant conducts stability checks while the surveyor is conducting the afloat survey as and when applicable. The surveyor will advise you what tests are required. 2

Relevant Codes

Before you start, check which type and length of vessel you are operating so that you comply with the relevant Code requirements. Note that the Codes may be amended. You should check that you are using the most current amendment.

> Less than 15m LOA – MSN 1871

> 15m LOA to less than 24m Registered Length (L) – MSN 1872

> 24m L and over MSN 1873

Our Marine Office contact details can be found on gov.uk.



MSN 1871 allows vessels of less than 15m built before 16 July 2007 to be considered by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) for Registration as fishing vessels. As part of the process MCA requires evidence that such vessels are safe and suitable for commercial fishing.

Since 2007, this evidence has been provided to the MCA by Seafish, whose surveyors (at the vessel owner’s expense) survey such vessels against Seafish Construction Standards and submit their report to the MCA for consideration.

Seafish ceased undertaking these surveys on 1 December 2017. MCA now oversees these surveys, which are conducted by Authorised Surveyors on behalf of the MCA. This Notice sets out the processes now in place to deal with vessels wishing to Register as fishing vessels.

What does your Dad do?

This letter was in response to the article that appeared in the Scottish Herald recently:

"When Scottish fisherman’s young children are being bullied by their school mates for their parents occupation, it is well past the time to simply look away, and say nothing. Our planet's ecosystems are in trouble, our oceans are warming, weather patterns are changing, and it is an entirely human response to want to arrest this crisis. 

But the challenges faced by our oceans will not be solved by ‘hot air’. Neil Mackay’s 21st November (see above) is the latest article that puts spin before substance and I fear will only add heat to an already inflamed debate. It was a missed opportunity for the Herald to offer its readers balance by providing a view from fishermen and organisations that do not share Mr. Philp's view. 

While this publication may see Marine Scotland as the main protagonist with a right to reply, a quick look at comments and social media demonstrates that yet again it is hard working fishermen in the firing line. Facts, matter. There can be no doubt that fisheries and the marine environment is a complex subject both to explain and resolve. It is essential that we are all honest about what we think, and what we can prove. All scientists are created equal, but some are more equal than others. It is lazy and wrong to produce a narrative of simple soundbites to whip up public support. This too, won’t save our oceans. So while it is essential that all voices are heard on this, my advice is simple: look for those that offer evidence to support their positions, then go challenge that evidence! 

With no scientific background, I led two judicial reviews that overturned dredging licenses where applicants spent thousands on scientific opinion. It has also been my absolute pleasure to work with some great marine scientists. Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. I'm continually disappointed when I read articles that proclaim creeling “is the sustainable way to fish” as if simply removing towed activity from an area is an absolute solution. It is not. One unintended consequence of closed trawling areas is that they become safe havens for static gear, this can lead to an explosion of the number of pots and nets. Some of the first areas down south to restrict trawlers have static gear fishermen now looking to regulators to see what can be done to restrict the number of boats and gear used in an area as their catches and incomes fall. Everyone thinks their crow is blacker. The seabed is impacted by all gear that touches it. Those impacts will depend on the type of gear, and habitat. 

As mentioned, I am no scientist, but I can see that dropping a dredge on a serpulid reef isn't good. But it is difficult to see how dragging 50-100 creel pots on a string across the same ground to haul is either. 

The picture above is me, 50+ years ago sticking my nose into someone's nets on the quayside in Looe, Cornwall where I grew up. My father, having demobbed from the RAF moved to Looe and took an engineering job in the town’s pilchard factory, mother was a ‘canning girl’. By the time I was born the pilchards, and the cannery were long gone. But now the SW of England has a healthy and successful MSC certified Sardine fishery (aka pilchards) which is under careful management. At the time of this picture my fishing village was so full that someone had to sell a boat for you to be able to get a mooring. It now has but a handful. 

Scotland's fishing communities will be full of these stories, rich and proud fishing heritage and rebounding stocks too. The steep decline in the number of fishing vessels and fishermen over the past 50 years has been a heavy price paid by fishing communities everywhere. But what is left, is one of the most highly regulated industries with stocks supported by robust monitoring and science. The debate between fishermen saying it is all going too far and fast, and others that it is not going far or fast enough will continue, of that I am sure. But when those debates take the form of campaigns, and those campaigns use unsubstantiated claims, and half truths, that lead to young children being bullied for their fathers work, it's time to stop and take a long, hard look at your approach. 

So to all involved, please, be honest, and kind".

(by Terri Portmann)