01.12.05
Investment for improving fish quality

David Pascoe, owner and skipper of the Little Pearl and Steven Astley, owner and skipper of MVF Butts, have both recently secured Objective One investment for the purchase of insulated bins. Mr Pascoe has secured £1340 worth of investment and Mr Astley £70.

The bins purchased are fully insulated, stackable cool boxes with sealable lids and are used to take ice to sea. The bins help ensure that fish are properly cooled and allow ice to be stored with minimal wastage.

Robin Davies, South West Pesca's fisheries project officer, stated: "Often, two bins are taken out with one being used to store a bulk quantity of ice whilst the other is used to either store the fish or as a slush-ice reservoir. In the later case, fish are placed in the slush ice immediately upon capture to get them down to the optimum temperature. This preserves their condition whilst the fisherman continues working. They are also proving very useful to store ice in more isolated harbours around Cornwall where accessibility to an ice plant is inconvenient."

Insulated ice bins are a simple and cost effective method of ensuring that fish reach the market in top quality condition. Using insulated bins will also help skippers attain the standard needed for the Seafood Cornwall Quality Mark, a scheme which recognises vessels that consistently land top quality fish.

Objective One investment of up to 40% is currently available throughout Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for projects which help fishermen improve the quality of their catch. If you would like to apply for an Objective One fisheries grant, please contact Robin Davies at SW Pesca on 01872 270333.

For further information please contact Nathan de Rozarieux, project director on 01736 874304.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in Vessel Modernisation Little Pearl FEP851 and Vessel Modernisation FEP852 through the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG).

Editor's notes:

David Pascoe can be contacted on 07870 568520. Steven Astley is available for comment on 01736 811201 or 07977 027328

Seafood Cornwall is a 3 year programme to promote quality Cornish fish. The project will cost approximately 500k funded by Objective One Fisheries Programme, Seafish Industry Authority and Cornwall County Council. The programme has employed Quality Advisers to work with fishing vessel crews and owners, the ports and harbours and with fish processors to improve the care of the catch from the sea to the plate. It is has also been promoting the quality, abundance and diversity of Cornish fish at festivals and shows throughout the year and will continue to do so in 2006. Further information is available from Nathan de Rozarieux, Project Director on 01736 874304.

If you are interested in applying for Objective One funding for projects within the fishing industry, please contact South West Pesca on 01872 270333 or visit www.swpesca.co.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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