27.11.07
Baitings and creasings and four leggers

A one day Net Mending course was recently launched in Newlyn, designed to meet the Cornish fishing industry’s need for local, vocational skills training and to help prevent the age-old tradition from dying out.

The Cornwall Fisheries Resource Centre (CFRC) based in Newlyn, developed the one day basic skills course in response to a recent industry survey that indicated that there was a chronic shortage of skilled net-menders which, if unchecked, could prevent boats from going to sea in the future. The new course also met the recommendation of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Fish Industry Task Force Strategy which stated providing access to cost effective training and improving skills levelsas one of its main objectives.

The students learnt how to cut out damaged net ready for mending, how to mend a net, basic net mesh types, baitings, creasings, fly meshes and selvedges.

Gus Caslake, Seafish Fisheries Technologist, attended the course held at South West Nets in Newlyn and afterwards commented: “This course is exactly what the Cornish fishing industry needs to fill the skills gap and to give new entrants a jump start to rejuvenate what could become a dying art.”

Commenting on the excellent response to the new course, Sarah Henshall, project officer for the CFRC, said: “It is no longer realistic to expect new recruits or younger hands to learn all the basic skills required at sea. Boats are going to sea without the luxury of large crews which means that when at sea there isn’t time for more experienced hands to train new entrants.” The course aims to equip fishermen with the basic skills required in order to perform emergency mends at sea and maintenance procedures in port. Fishermen attending the course receive a comprehensive manual which enables them to refer back to pictures and guidance notes to help reinforce the techniques covered on the day.

The CFRC Net Mending course costs £40 (38% funding is available for eligible fish industry workers). The next course shall take place in Newlyn on the 14th December. People wishing to book a place should contact Sarah on 01736 364324.

Courses offered by the CFRC and other providers can be found on the Cornwall Fisheries Resource Centre’s new website www.cfrc.org.uk. Visitors to the site will find information on training, grants and assistance, daily news updates and feeds, jobs and crew availability as well as useful links to other fishing industry websites.

For further information please contact the Cornwall Fisheries Resource Centre, on 01736 364324 or email info@cfrc.co.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Cornwall Fisheries Resource Centre through the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG).

Editor's notes:

The Cornwall Fisheries Resource Centre project was a key project in the Objective One Fisheries Task Force Strategy, published in May 2002. The Centre is based in Newlyn but serves the whole of Cornwall. 

The project is funded by: EU Objective One Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG), Barclays Bank plc, Defra, Penwith District Council, Rural Community Partnership, Newlyn Pier and Harbour Commissioners, Cornish Fish Producers Organisation (CFPO) and Seafish (SFIA).

The Cornwall Fisheries Resource Centre
78b The Strand
Newlyn
Tel: 01736 364324
Email: info@cfrc.co.uk
Web: www.cfrc.org.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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