The coldest Saturday winter morning for years greets Mounts Bay.

Ashore, the rare sight of frost abounds while out to sea, another survey rig has appeared off the end of Penzance Harbour's lighthouse quay.......
under what looks like a snow-laden sky out to sea.....
the Trinity House vessel Patricia is hard at work on her deck cargo of buoys keeping the shipping lanes safe.....
the rig is set against the Anglian Princess back on station.....
popular eatery, the bay, that makes good use of the finest fresh fish from Newlyn on its menu and always has an interesting show art local art on display in the restaurant.....

at this time of year the IOS helicopter service runs flat out as a flurry of holiday makers, residents and relatives ply back and forth.

MSC - Cornish sardines are on the menu again.

MSC assessment status

The certification body, MRAG Americas Inc, has proposed two peer reviewers for the review of the Draft Cornish sardine, UK Assessment Report.

If you wish to provide feedback on the proposed peer reviewers, please contact Dr. Robert Trumble no later than the 28th December 2009.

Read all about the review in detail here.

Brussels' sprouts Christmas quota news.

The quota talks have ended in Brussels with yet more cuts - though not as severe in some areas as was feared. Predictably sole in Area VII has ufferred yet again despite the fishermen seeing more sole than ever on the grounds. pergaps CEFAS can step in here to help assess stovck levels to ensure a more equitable approach?

Brussels Fisheries talks ‘a slap on the face with a wet fish’ says Stevenson, but this time its not Elizabeth doing the talking.

The BBC gave some quota figures for caching area around the coast and also commented on one of the innovative ways in which boats miught be incentivised - install CCTV to record what comes aboard and what goes back over the rail.The regional paper Western Morning News covered the story in more detail through Kate Ironside's blog posting, "Fishermen's Friend or Big Brother"

Scads, tubs and blackjacks.

Bruce points skywards as the light lifts, there's a day's work ahead of the boys on the James RH putting the starboard gear back together starting with the chain mat seen here being raised.....
like a scene from Aliens, box washing in progress......
a good shot of wreck fish from the GaryM will help boost the Xmas coffers.....
white lightning.......
the Cornishman put ashore a few big tub gurnards.......
unusually, some line caught scad from the punt Penver......
along with a good run of the currently rather scarce winter mackerel - and they are making phenomenal money.....
Ocean Fish spent a lot of money on the bigger fish like these blackjacks today.....
a nonchalant film crew survey the auction in progress......
the Star's star.

The Rowney - on the way in - on the way out? maybe not!

Not too sure what the Billy Rowney is up to - on the way in one minute - on the way out the next? But - one to watch this - the AIS tracking has picked her up on the way out today from where it stopped tracking her yesterday - that makes it look as if she has turned about! - confirmed by checking the time/date display on the tracking arrows.

Calculating an ETA - another useful feature from the AIS page.

Once you have picked up a boat by tracking her on the AIS page you can also add your own waypoints - double click on the vessel's current position and then select 'distance to', a yellow box then gives an ETA based on the speed she is currently steaming at on her last fix - thereby providing a pretty accurate idea as to when she might be heading in through the gaps.....
.....as in the Gary M heading through the gaps.

What's in a name - everything it seems!

Want to make a difference - our humble sardine gets a mention in this article on the power wrought through having a name change.

Illegal fishing at Newlyn

Luckily this time its round the other side of the globe!

Pelagic fish and fishing east side of the Lizard

Using the Newlyn Harbour AIS page it is possible to see what sort of fishing activity there is around the coast of Cornwall. There are obviously some significant shoals of pelagic fish off the Lizard - three big freezer trawlers, the Ariadne, Helen Marie and Oceaan VII are working the grounds together today.

Full story from the Ocean Spray's Wayne Evans.

Man overboard on the Ocean Spray, this story appeared in the Daily Mail and with it a few coments that touched on the politics of the fishing industry. What price the pollack the boat landed yesterday.

Scillys Steamship link, sentiment or sense? - the Battle for Battery Rocks

The proposed changes at Penzance Harbour that currently accommodates the IOS ferry link is now under threat. The Guardian published full account of the dilemma Penzance faces.

Last night the plans were rejected by Cornwall Council’s Strategic Planning Committee in a packed meeting in St John’s Hall in Penzance. Of greatest concern to the residents of Penzance are threats by the Steamship Company to up sticks and take the Scillonian (or its planned replacement) to Falmouth Harbour. Anyone who knows the area nautically speaking doubts the reality of this - the journey would be almost twice the distance and involve a trip round the Lizard - not the best place to be in inclement weather!

Huge mid water Dane off to the South'ard

The huge Danish pelagic boat Cattleya is tracked here on the live AIS page as she traverses the grounds south side of the Wolf Rock.

Remember, a dog's not for Christmas!

Mario on the Dom Bosco is about to make another quick pre-Christmas crab landing......
the inshore pair team hit the haddocks.....
festive spirit in front of the harbour offices - someone forgot to turn off the lights on the tree last night......
pollack from the Ocean Spray of varying grades goes up for auction.......
waiting to be filled, transport alongside the Cornwall Ice company wait for orders.....
plenty of good small haddock on the grounds at this time of year.....
with his cod ends hung up to dry in traditional manner, the big Dutch flagged Belgian, Dor et Labora landed at the weekend......

Julian walks a brace of dogs up the market......
to join the other 3 tons landed that morning - the biggest hit of dogs for some time - and a disaster for the boat with medium dogs scraping 50p per kilo instead of the £1 they would have made at any other time of the year!

South Shields has the "Original" X Factor!

X Factor winner, Joe McElderry is not the only star to come from South Shields in the North East of England. Known as the Original this is the first purpose built lifeboat and the forerunner of today's RNLI. The Original was built to provide a safety service on the river Tyne, which she did for forty years, in the process saving hundreds of live. What made her unique was the inclusion of cork - designed to make her the first recorded self-righting lifeboat.

Steam's up aboard the Santa Special in Swanage

Over the weekend Swanage enjoyed some early morning sunshine.....
with the remaining wet fish shop, Swanage Bay Fish, offering a 'Today's Special' on locally caught sprats.....
around the town there are some unusual artworks.....

but surely top of the list for visitors is the renowned Swanage Railway where all aspects of steam engine life can be viewed from many angles........
including taking coal and water .....
before the engines make their way to the station......
and depart for the end of the line at Norden Park a mile south of the famous Corfe Castle ruins....
manned by a dedicated team of volunteers of all ages, some of whom are seen here cleaning up after an ash box has been emptied into the pit.....
and polishing the Westcountry Class Eddystone an engine that would have pulled trains to Penzance on many occasions.......at this time of year thousands visit Swanage station and make their way aboard the Santa Special where the kids get to travel with Santa and a present while the adults are treated to mince pies......
leaving Swanage station with all the sights, sounds and smells that are associated with these classic examples of British engineering that helped create the modern industrialised world as we know it today......
at the end of the day, St Mary's Church played host to the Belvedere Singers seen here with the audience participating in singing the Twelve Days of Christmas as they raise funds in support of their local Swanage Hospital.