Fine weather for the weekend.

Low early morning temperatures for the Gary M as she fires up the main engine......
thanks to a generous donation courtesy of Nick Howell from the auction of the now closed Pilchard Works Museum, the Mission now sports new tables and chairs.......
NP&HC flag flies at half mast over the harbour offices.......
a reminder that up to 90% of fish from Newlyn is still exported......
visiting mid-water trawler Manx Ranger from Mevagissey........
the unmistakable yellow boxes from the Elizabeth N make their way aboard the lorry......
where they will be taken to Plymouth market for auction, news due out on Monday may see that changing in the future......
boxes of Cornish Sardines ready to go.

Eight new Harbour Commissioners bound for Newlyn.

The Department of transport has published the following notice regarding the appointment of an entirely new Harbour Commission for Newlyn:


APPOINTMENT OF NEWLYN HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS

The proposed Newlyn harbour Revision Order 2010 introduces a new constitution for Newlyn Harbour Commission. As part of the consultation the current Commissioners are enabled to appoint eight members to serve as the new commission alongside two appointed by Cornwall Council and the harbour management representative.

The commissioners have agreed that a selection panel consisting of representatives from the Department of Transport, Cornwall Council and Government Office South West, should manage the selection process with a view to recommending to the Commission eight appointees.

The selection panel is now seeking candidates for the eight posts in question. The lengths and terms of office will be one year in respect of three posts, two years in respect for another three posts and three years in respect of two posts.

Candidates should have special knowledge, experience or ability in one or more of the following fields:

a) commercial licensed fishing boat ownership
b) wholesale fish selling
c) commercial or financial matters
d) water related leisure interests
e) community matters
f) management of harbours
g) administration
h) local government; and
i) environmental matters.

Further information about the posts, and application forms, are available from:

Newlyn Harbour Commission, Harbour Office, Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 5HW (tel 01736 362523) (email: andrewmunson@btconnect.com)

or

Tony Springthorpe, Ports division, Department for transport, Zone 2/34, 76 Marsham Street, London, SW1p 4DR (tel 0207 944 3382) (email tony.springthorpe@dft.gsi.gov.uk).

Applications, e-mailed if preferred, should be addressed to either of the above by 8th March 2010. It is expected that interviews will be held in the week beginning March 22nd.

DEFRA visit

DEFRA team looking at the Under 10m small boat sector on a fact finding mission check out the way things are in Newlyn.......

just how the company accountant likes to see things, in the black........

winging his way to breakfast.......

Sasha and Angel Emiel lay alongside the quay......

with a day's work ahead of the boys on the Angel.......

a la Belgium style aboard the Nellie's, their 3m gear hung up to air......

all aboard the Scillonian III, well not for a week for two yet before the Scilly season starts.

Seafarers Link - Hull yesterday remembered today

The Maritime Charities Funding Group works to tackle what they see as increasing hardship for those families who did or still are committed to making a living from the sea.

Seafarers Link was set up following research by the Maritime Charities Funding Group which found many men and women who have spent a lifetime at sea are more likely to find themselves isolated in old age. Last week, the scheme, which also operates in Merseyside and Wales, won a charity award and having been praised for its innovative use of technology, there are hopes to roll it out to areas like Portsmouth and Plymouth. In the meantime, a visit to their web site will reward the more technically savvy retired or senior members of the seafaring population with all the information and contact details they might need.

The Community Network provides tele-conferencing to bring together charitites and other organisations and individuals across the country.

Retired distant water trawlerman Dave O'Connor, now part of the local Hull group tells his story.

What are the NPHC flag origins?

The design of the harbour flag would appear to be based on the logo used by the harbour on its headed paper - an early example of corporate identity from 1906. It would be good to know if any light can be thrown on who designed the original graphic. Bounded within the words and split into three distinct areas are: in the top section, what looks like a ling, below that, the Stone Quay and lighthouse to the left of which apear to be a square-rigged sailing ship and possibly a powered vessel in the gaps, below the harbour view is a lugger, obviously alluding to the main trade of the port and its raison d'etre.

Other examples of the design may exist?

Tons & tons of black fish in Newlyn - but this time it's all legal!

It's another black day for Newlyn with no end in sight to the boxes of cuttles staining the auction floor.....

makes shore staff look more like miners every day......

and keeps the hose busy washing down......

pink is the new yellow for some in an effort to contrast nicely with the sepia ink......

if you're still suffering the excesses of Xmas then RS Fitness will have you back in shape in no time......

transport waiting for a visiting Brixham beamer......

looks like Berlewen has been working hard over the winter........

the netters will look to sail to day as the neap tides arrive.......

another tenner's worth of rubber scrubbed from the tyres.......

doubtless there are fisherman in coastal regions all over the third world who would love to get their hands on these old nets.......

Harvest Reaper makes her way to the ice works as the Brixham beamer heads for the quayside.....

just made it in for high water and the slip.......

Billy Rowney goes alongside the ice works.

Let down by those ashore.

A 19 year old fisherman from Mulrankin in Ireland was airlifted from his boat after badly crushing a finger. What followed left him shocked and annoyed with the health care he recieved once ashore. After being safely delivered to a hosptial by SAR helicopter he then, apparently, spent hours awaiting medical attention - the boat may have just as well steamed for home. It would be good to think that this would not happen here - and from recent incidents of a similar nature is highly unlikely.

MSC and Cornish Sardines

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Fishery species - Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) Cornwall sardine, UK – Public Comment Draft Report available for stakeholder comment

The certification body, MRAG Americas, Inc, has announced that the Public Comment Draft Report for the Cornwall sardine, UK fishery is now available for comment for a period of 30 days. Any stakeholder wishing to comment on the report is invited to contact Robert Trumble (details below) no later than 5pm GMT, 18th March 2010.

Stakeholders are advised that they are to provide objective evidence in support of any additional claims or any claimed errors of fact in their response to the Public Comment Draft Report. Any comments made by stakeholders shall be documented and forwarded by the certification body to its certification decision-making entity.

Sink the Bismark - Brits bash Bosch!

See the midwater boys at BrewDog have done it again and knocked the German beermakers Schorschbrau off the world's strongest beer top spot with their very own 'Sink the Bismark' - never the boys to take the subtle approach to their product promotion!

Packing rarity value and strength and at just under a £1 for each of the mindboggling 41% ABVs, a 330ml bottle will set you back £40, this, is a beer to be poured with huge care!

The Ocean Fish show rolls into town.

Marking their presence on the quay, an Ocean Fish wagon waits for fish......
as chief buyer Edwin mops up the last few boxes for the morning's auction.....
one of three useless things you'll never find on a fishing boat, a step ladder......
the tug Doris K has her winch back aboard.....
ealry start on the scallops for the Jacoba......
looking pristine, the new hatch and coaming aboard the James R H......
while Lionel makes his way down the quay as tour guide, a new set of bridles are set for the Amanda.

Fishing for a King's Cross connection.

Proving slightly more elusive in London while on a tight time schedule to find more fishing links it was St Pancreas' station that came good, it being next to Kings Cross, which is, of course, the name of one of the biggest pursers to work off Cornwall chasing mackerel in the late 1970s and 80s! The latest incarnation of the King's Cross within the Lunar Bow fleet can be seen here.