Our tuna is the 'albacore tuna' which we catch sustainably by hook and line, and legally with the correct licence and quota. I should know cos its been hard enough to get.
Thought it was the end of the line when we got our first insurance quote for the boat (£13,000 for the season). You got to be having a laugh, I didnt want to bloody buy the insurance company! We got it way down in the end but that was the first spanner in the works.
The Channel 4 programme 'End Of The Line' was just on . Well I'd just as well cut my wrists now by what there saying. Have been trying to get a scientist to come to sea with us for the last 4yrs haven't seen one yet. They have strong opinions in the warmth of an office. They would get a better picture if they went to sea from time to time.
It's just as frustrating for a fisherman when there is no firm managment in place. Until there is it will always be a struggle and thats a fact and it is that simple.
If you have a healthy stock of fish and you manage it properly and dont get GREEDY you will have a good living for years, but the next question is if the consumer is willing to pay a higher price for the product because of the demand for it and not enough of it to go round, it will become a luxury item instead of a cheap item.
On a final note we still got to catch um and thats never easy and if the weather is like last years thats conservation in its self, but keep towing keep believing.
The Ben Loyal is going to be high and dry on the slip for a week or two.
Now comes the hard part waiting for funding ,as no work can be done until we have a letter of agreement from the funding people. Lets pray the boat ticks all the boxes. As a person I have always struggled to tick all the boxes lets hope the old Ben Loyal has better luck.
Our contract from the man from Del Monte, is bloody hard work as well would have been good to have had the contracts in the bag by now. They all want it but they want it free, its like pulling teeth ,why is it such a struggle to sell good food in this country I suppose no one wants to pay the money for quality any more. We will see soon enough I would sooner land in France than give it away on are markets at the moment, but have high hopes for a deal to be struck in this Country yet.
Only time will tell, I know one thing I need some tuna as I am fed up with eating pigeon cassarole if I have anymore I will be growing feathers and I'll be cooing the pigeon season has finished now anyway.
been a hard day today for kevin,just spent a load of his money was quite enjoyable for me ,he had his head in his hands a few times,we reckon my list came to 50k is easy spending it bit harder earning it.
felt a bit of a twinge in my left arse cheek today now thats either the thought of the work my back has to do or feeling a bit of preasure got a appointment to see neville he can always rebuild me.
patched things up with maria,had a pint with a few mates,they said shes to inteligent for me,i think there right as i cant even spell the word.
today was busy,the money for boat was transfered today skint again,but made sure fridge was full first,bought plenty of jacobs crackers should last me awhile,and shot 3 pigeons for tea so will survive,am the proud owner of a 20m fishing boat what have i done no only joking looking forward to the challenge,this blog might improve my spelling also.
boat was put on the slip today for work to be done like cleaning the bottom, anoides,paint,prop and the most important to be surveyed and it was confirmed that she will float which is always good news,some minor work needs to be done but nothing serious but its all money.
the next hurdle is doing the funding process what a pain in the arse that lot is that will take must of next week in running around,paperwork isnt my most gifted area,but the rayburn handles it better, good job for solid fuel fires.
got the wk end to patch things up with the girlfriend she is not happy i think just not enough time for everything.
i have got there in the end and have just signed for my own boat for this season what a slogg,have gone into partnership with business man kevin bennetts of consols fuels and this isnt just so i get cheaper fuel,but he is a friend and has given me good advice since the start of fishery.
The vessel we have bought is an old timer built in the 1960,s she has a perfect shape for doing the tuna job and is called BEN LOYAL WK3,she has just gone up on the slip at fowey to be surveyed and will stay there for a refit its going to be a mission to get her ship shape for May but should be able to do it with the help of everyone.
Have made contact with are spanish friends so we have a trip down to spain in the coming months ,loads to do so will keep you posted.
It's Captain Edwards here again....feeling a bit better after reflecting on the good things in life, not just fishing!
We will be in tomorrow with 230 fish. I will see what the weekend brings in the way of news on tuna fishing front and take it from there, as to see if we try another trip or not. It's flat calm at last and it's warm at last, typical as we are going in eh! Nevermind, going home to see the wife and children. I can't wait, nor can the lads! Gotta go and tidy the wheelhouse up now. Then peel some spuds for tea while that lot have their siesta! Regards Shaun.
On way home to see Jax, the children and lick my wounds! Getting the boat ready to go wrecking, which will take about a week. Wreck netting does exactly what it says on the tin, we shoot nets alongside wrecks on the sea bed, as fish like ling, cod, pollock congerate around the wreck. See how it goes by reading the skippers blog on the novasperofishing.co.uk website. My Spanish friends are stil going west into the Atlantc, the positon that they gave me today, I estimate that they are about 400 mies west of Ireland....sod that! Now I'm gonna sit here and listen to fleetwod mac and think of the good things in life, chill out! Regads Shaun
That's it we have had enough! The news with my Spanish friend is 'bonito finito'. I am absolutely gutted, as I really want this tuna fishery to work, but you have to be realistic if you are running at a loss. The boys aren't earning any wages, then you have to try something else. Unfortunately that's what we are gonna have to do. Just hope and pray that this season is just a one off and next year will be better.
The poxy weather hasn't helped, that much I'm sure about. It's been a pleasure working with my Spanish friends, and I shall tell them so. All I can say is what true gentlemen they really are. We have had thee decent trips, so it hasn't been all 'pete tong'. I am also looking to start my own website novasperofishing.co.uk, so if you want to find out what's happening on the fshng scence throughout the rest of the year, or would like to contact me for any reason then check it out! Should be up running by October. Interesting footage and reading! Anyways gotta go...got cheese on toast for lunch.....yet more comfort eating. Regards Shaun
I've been talking to my Spanish skipper friends, they reckon the season is over! They reckon that the fish have gone deep, south west into the Atlantic, does anybody reading this wants to buy a well maintained, beautiful tiger of a fishing vessel. She can be delivered free of charge. Dunno what else to say really,which for me is a first, especially with the nickname 'Wordsey'. We are 450 miles west of Lands End. I'm darned if I'm going any further west, so w are towing east to shorte the distance to home. Anyways I'm off into te messdeck to comfort eat. Yet another fry up day! A lash! Regards Shaun.
Well here we are again, totally pissed off...tha goes for all of us! Came across te big pelagic tawlers today on the search for tuna, in a big way wih their big horsepower, big trawls that scoop through the sea at 6-7 miles an hour, which is towed by two vessels, the mouth of the net is probably the size of 2 or 3 football pitches, which takes no prisioners. They also scare wat fish they don't catch in their net, so what's left won't feed so as for us its just as well we tow our lures up the high street to trycatc spiders.So now I am pissed off, I don't usually qit or give in but if we don't get a bit of lady luck tomorrow the I'm off in out of it. Regards Shaun.
Day one looks like a cooked breakfast day! A lash up! Let me explain.....if the fishing is good you haven't got time to do very much, so we call it a pizza day, cause you just chuck it in the oven and grab a slice when you can. If the fishing is crap,then you got time to do a full English! The boys need cheering up.....you would if you were 320 miles from home and your loved ones....for no fish! Anyway lets hope and pray it's a better day tomorrow. Regards Shaun.
The fishing is crp! The weather is crap! I'm feeling crap! The las are hacked off...I don't blame them! My Spanish friends are going home to change work, which means game over! The fish, what fish there is, are way up North for this time of year and are deep, which means they can not see the lures we are towing, mind you this crap summer we are having certainly isn't helping. On these latitudes it should be daylight by 5.30am, but with this constant low cloud and drizzle and wind it ain't dayligh til 6.30am, its not lookin good to say the least. Anyways keep blievin but I don't think it will be for much longer.Regards Shaun.
