A foggy final #FishyFriday in May.

Big spring tides allow for the port's bigger boats to be put on the hard in order to work below the waterline, saving the cost of slipping them...

busy enough down the quay...

as Shane brings the Ali Cat alongside the market...

to land his morning's mackerel haul...

before grading and weighing them...

a very quiet market this morning with yesterday's fresh breeze keeping most of the inshore boats safely tied up and just a few boxes of whitefish from the visiting Scottish prawn boats like these John Dory, plaice...

and head-on monk...

mackerel...

red mullet and lemon sole...

and some fish at really eat well, weavers and red gurnard...

and the inevitable haddock which must put a smile on the Scottish skippers' faces when they see them...

all that glitters is not gold...

a huge bank of low cloud hung over the harbour and bay this morning...

depriving the fish market solar panels of their power source.

Inspiring the next generation of fishermen!

 

THE YOUNG FISHERMEN'S NETWORK

Outlaw's Fish Kitchen recently had the pleasure of hosting the spirited crew from The Young Fishermen's Network (YFN): a brilliant initiative bringing together bright, sea-savvy young people from across the UK who are passionate about fishing and the future of food. They’re not just hauling in the catch of the day... They're making waves for the whole industry, giving a much-needed voice to the next generation of local seafood producers.

We welcomed YFN REPs from 11 Cornish fishing ports, each now serving as the friendly face and go-to contact for their home harbour. Their mission? To put fishing firmly back on the map as a fulfilling, sustainable career - lively, local, and full of purpose.

As big believers in fresh fish and fresh ideas, we were proud to welcome them into our kitchen.

"Our restaurants depend on local fishermen who choose to fish with care, understand quality, and use sustainable methods. A decade ago, our harbour in Port Isaac was home to at least ten full-time fishing boats, but these days, we are down to just two. The fishermen we work with are part of our community, so supporting them means supporting the future of the harbour" - Nathan

 If you'd like to bring a taste of fishing life to your school, harbour festival, or local event, drop The Young Fishermen's Network a line. These young fishers are the force behind your next seafood feast!

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE YFN

Newlyn port record smashed thanks to the Mediterranean octopus bloom!

Skipper Georgie Stevens

While there is huge concern from shellfish skippers up and down the south west coast fearing that the current octopus bloom...

will decimate the shellfish population skipper Georgie Stevens brought back a 450 box trip from south of the Lizard to smash the port record in Newlyn by some £38,00 with a colossal £158, 600 trip of which £140,000 was made from Mediterranean octopus!

Blooming octopus!

Much discussion on the deck...

as the Enterprise leaves the fish market...

after the crew finish landing a trip that included 400 boxes of Mediterranean octopus...

which may well mean young Georgie once again...

 holds the port record with the Enterprise...

It's a proper drizzly start to the day, gardens must be loving this weather, along with all the gastropods coming out of hiding...

after a bank holiday weekend and the arrival of a big spring tide the market was flooded with fish this morning with plenty of turbot...

and hake from the Ajax...

Stelissa...

S

and Silver Dawn...

the netters also provide fans of tub gurnard with cracking supplies at the end of every neap tide...

along with big John Dory...

he's been at the congers again...

this fella has to be quite some age to have that kind of barnacle build up on his shelll...

it's flatfish time of year for megrim...

turbot...

and decent plaice...

plus a few sand soles from the big boat...

that landed but a single cuttlefish...

amongst the 400 boxes of these guys...

young Graham uses the tried and tested, "dunk 'n' dip" method to wash his boxes after a morning on the mackerel...

as Cod makes his way to the market...

getting boxes back aboard is done by dropping them in the water and fishing them out...

after landing a nice touch of mackerel from a 4am start...

slip time for the Silver Dawn...

with visiting Scottish prawn boats, a spring tide and plenty of passing yachts the harbour is at full capacity - with the Ocean Vision and Vision V on their way...

cuttlefish traps on the South slip.

 

Waters surrounding UK gripped by prolonged marine heatwave

Northwest European waters are currently experiencing an extreme marine heatwave, with sea surface temperatures (SSTs) reaching record highs for April and May since satellite monitoring began in 1982.

This event, now lasting over two months, is significant due to its intensity and persistence. Current sea surface temperatures are warmer by up to 4°C west of Ireland, and by 1.5-2.5°C around the UK coastline: temperatures are what we would usually expect around mid-June. 

The heatwave is the result of several overlapping factors. Prolonged high-pressure systems brought a dry, sunny spring and weak winds and waves, creating ideal conditions for warming. This means the sea started to warm mid-February, one month earlier than usual. Additionally, the waters around the UK were already warmer than usual coming out of winter, a trend that has been building over the past 40 years, with an average increase of 0.3°C per decade. 

READ MORE: Why has spring been so warm and dry so far this year?

A key feature of marine heatwaves is the formation of a warm layer at the ocean’s surface. This layer acts like a lid, trapping heat near the surface and preventing it from mixing into deeper, cooler waters. It can be compared to a layer of olive oil floating on water, this thin surface layer allows heat from solar radiation to accumulate near the surface. When this layer forms, surface temperatures can increase fast: the last 9 days have seen a sudden additional 1°C warming.  

Marine heatwaves in UK waters usually last around two to four weeks. This year’s event began early March and has continued into May, making it one of the longest on record for this time of year. The North Sea has already peaked in temperature, while areas west of Ireland and the Celtic Sea are currently experiencing their highest levels. 

This prolonged warming can amplify land heatwaves by reducing the cooling effect of sea breezes and by altering rainfall patterns. Dr Jonathan Tinker, marine climate scientist, said: "With projections suggesting UK summer sea temperatures could rise by up to 2.5°C by 2050, such events are likely to become more frequent, intense and longer-lasting. Marine heatwaves offer a glimpse into how changing ocean conditions could shape future weather conditions."

READ MORE: Met Office Weather Deep Dive: A change is on the way

Cooler weather and stronger winds expected over the weekend are likely to ease the marine heatwave. With temperatures dropping and westerly winds picking up, the stable “olive oil” surface layer may begin to break down, allowing cooler water to mix in and gradually reduce sea surface temperatures. 

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) are keeping a close eye on what this means for our ecosystems and fisheries. Met Office is bringing together the UK and Irish research community with Defra at Reading University on 22nd May to discuss science and research ongoing in UK marine heatwaves. 

Keep up to date from the Met Office with weather warnings, the latest forecast on their website, on YouTube, or follow them on X and Facebook, as well as on their mobile app.

The EU Reset Deal – Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation reaction

 

The Labour Government’s manifesto does not mention the fishing industry, and since its time in power, it’s hard not to believe it was left out for good reason. In the short space of 10 months, we have seen nothing but taking away any hint of opportunity from the UK fishing industry and its surrounding coastal communities, and it’s now a wonder what else can Keir Starmer do to make more of a mess of our industry.

The UK-EU reset deal struck on the 19th May is as far away from the CFPO’s priorities as could be imagined. At least thirteen more years of guaranteed access for the EU fleet, all the way up to the six mile limit, no change in quota shares, and absolutely nothing in return that will mean anything for a fisherman on the deck of a boat.

How could this go so wrong when the UK held the most powerful card in the pack. Automatic access for EU fleets to fish in UK waters was scheduled to expire in June 2026. That card was surrendered on 19th May 2025, as the UK sought trade and other benefits from the post-Brexit deal. The lack of direct engagement from those at the very top who were responsible for making this deal is evident in the outcome. The CFPO priorities were clear and simple and not at all unreasonable, and not one has been met, or even come close.

For all of the hard work that Cornish fishermen have put in to shaping up the new post Brexit world under the UK Fisheries Act, attending countless meetings to ‘co-design’ new fisheries management plans, it all feels rather pointless given the outcome of this new trade deal. The lack of future opportunity the deal holds for our fishing businesses, our coastal communities, our next generation of fishermen, let alone our ability to manage our own seas will beg the question of any fisherman, why bother getting involved in fishing policy and politics ever again. Especially knowing that the EU will be marking our homework every step of the way. How far we are from being a true independent coastal state?

But allocating blame brings limited benefit. Realistically, there was always going to be a multi-year access deal for EU fleets. The geopolitics of the moment just do not allow for a bad-tempered breach between the UK and the EU at this juncture. It is the government’s complete failure to secure any quid pro quo in fishing terms that is breathtaking.

An exclusive 12mile limit would have marginal impacts on French, Belgian and Dutch fishing businesses but would have meant a great deal for the fishers struggling to make a living off the Southwest coasts.

A transfer of quota of stocks where there is an acute shortage (rather than paper fish) would have made a significant difference and would have signalled that this is a government that actually cares about fishing and was committed to securing its future.

When placed alongside the challenges ahead over fleet displacement by offshore renewable, this deal gives grounds to wonder.

But the world changes. Ukraine and Trump are proof of that. Any threat to an island nation’s food security would force a rapid change of priorities. That too is a thought worth considering.

In the meantime, the fishing industry will wonder how much of the £360 million allocated to the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund is ‘new money,’ how it will be spent, over what time period, how much will be siphoned off, and how much will go to support genuine fishing businesses and communities.

As so much in these negotiations and this reset deal, so much remains opaque.

Attenborough's Ocean - what it didn't say.