20.04.07
Objective One Fisheries investment in Newquay

Since the Objective One Fisheries Programme commenced in 2001 there have been a number of investments made in Newquay. These have fallen across the fishing industry from the moment the fish are caught on the vessels and landed at the harbour to being sold by fish processing businesses. In total there have been 24 projects in Newquay with a combined investment of nearly £700,000 of which EU Objective One and national Marine and Fisheries Agency investment contribution was just over £320,000.

Newquay town was built up around its fishing community, and although Newquay is now better known for its tourism, it has a small but strong fishing economy and community. Newquay Harbour is home to 20 registered fishing vessels employing 65 fishermen. The fishing vessels are skippered by crews ranging in age from 16 to 63, who use pots for shellfish such as brown crab, spider crab and lobster, and also fish by handlines and nets for species such as bass and mackerel. To date, 10 Newquay fishermen have taken advantage of Objective One Fisheries support to invest in their vessels and future sustainability. Investment has been used to assist fishermen to maximise fish quality, improve crew comfort and working conditions as well as the safety of the fishermen on board the vessels.

Ron and Gary Eglington (Shannon), David Snell (Eclipse), Dave Trebilcock (Che Sara Sara) and Chris Glaves (Helen Jane), have all received investment to upgrade their vessels. The investment has enabled the fishermen to improve crew comfort and working conditions aboard their vessels; Mr Glaves also invested in a new fishroom to maintain the quality of his catch and therefore improve its price at market.

The harbour itself has also received Objective One investment. In 2002 and 2006 investment from Objective One was used by Restormel Borough Council for the upgrade to Newquay harbour fishing facilities, including: new chilled stores for storing bait and fish; two ice machines to produce flake ice so that fish catches are iced properly for maximum quality; scales for weighing the catch; manual and electrical davits to ensure the catch is landed quickly and safely; improved lighting on the south quay to improve safety and security and new ladders around the harbour walls to ensure that there is always space for the fishermen to land their catches. Captain Derek Aunger, Newquay Harbour Master, commented: "The work carried out in the harbour has made a vast improvement to the safety, security and working conditions, with the additional ladders and davits allowing fish to be landed along both quays. The installation of the ice machines has meant that we can now offer a continual supply of quality flake ice to local or visiting fishermen. The addition of the new lighting has improved both the security and appearance of the area."

Investment in Newquay's fish industry extends beyond the harbour. Recent investment has helped a local shellfish processing business relocate to a new, bigger unit at Indian Queens to cope with the increasing demand for the company's products. Perran Seafoods, first established in 1981, purchases fresh Cornish crab and lobster direct from fishermen at ports around Cornwall, including Newquay. The company then cooks the crab and the meat is sold as either picked or dressed. The company received investment to kit out the new unit with hygienic cladding, a cold store, stainless steel tables, crab boiling pots, a fridge and a freezer. Expanding the business has allowed the company to take on a new member of staff. In 2006 the company received further investment for another freezer to cope with the increased volumes of crab that it is now processing. Susan Tamblyn of Perran Seafoods commented: "The chill room and walk-in freezer we now have ensure our hand picked Cornish crabmeat reaches our customers at its highest possible standard. Our dressed crabs are now so popular with our customers that we may increase our workforce in the coming season."

Clare Leverton, Objective One Fisheries Programme Manager, commented: "Investment in maintenance of fish quality and the chill chain from the moment of capture to reaching the plate is a strategic priority of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Fish Industry Task Force. The coordinated investment across the whole fish industry at Newquay shows how to achieve this objective and how this creates more value from fish to the local economy."

For further information contact Clare Leverton, Objective One Fisheries Programme Manager, on 01872 270333 or email admin@swpesca.co.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the fishing industry at Newquay through the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance Fund (FIFG).

Editor's notes:

Restormel Borough Council own and manage Newquay Harbour. For more information please call the Harbour Master Derek Aunger on 01637 872809 or speak to Restormel Borough Council press office on 01726 223521.

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Fish Industry Task Force consists of fishermen's representatives, fish merchants and processors, agents, port managers and fisheries regulators. It provided a strategic framework and action plan to guide the investment of the Objective One Fisheries Programme to develop Cornwall's fishing industry from 2000-2010. The Task Force guided investment priorities by commissioning research and projects to ensure that the strategy was achieved. The 2000-2010 strategy document can be found at www.swpesca.co.uk/fisheriestaskforce.htm.

The Objective One Fisheries Programme is managed and partly funded by the Marine and Fisheries Agency, a national agency of Defra (Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs).

www.mfa.gov.uk

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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