Nova Spero is along way from home (around 3 days steaming), but has found some fish. Saturday was a good day, caught 140 fish. Followed by 60 on Sunday, good run of fish between 6-10 kilo. Fishing in and around the Spanish fleet, all going well. Skipper Tom remains at the helm, while Shaun is on the Paturnity Leave. That's all for now. Tom

It's been a slog by all involved, and that's an understatement! But here we go again, which is good news for 2009.

 First thing we gotta do, from the three of us, is thank Mr Paul Trebilcock and the one and only Nathan de Rozarieux. Not only for the work they have put in, but the mental strain that has been put upon them throughout.  We got there in the end!

 For my point of view last season was a great success, for all involved, for me personally I ended up having a back operation at Christmas! Apparently I had a prolapsed disc of the four and fifth vertabrae, but what ended up being worse, and they don't tell you about until you get home, was the constipation you're left with, which I struggled with for at least six hours....not nice and I'll leave it at that! A few other things happened but I won't bore you with it all. Even with all this stuff going on, I did plan to have a boat of my own for this season, but yet again no cigar! Maybe next season. So for this season I'll be working my own small boat. Shaun won't be aboard the Nova Spero for at least 4 trips, as his is on maturity leave, so Tom McClure and Shaun Williams will be taking the boat. I think they might have their hands full, but hopefully they'll enjoy it as much as I did. So for that reason I am hoping John Walsh on the Charisma will be filling for me and keeping you up to date on this year's tuna season. I am gutted I am missing out on it, but that's life. At least I'm free for any publicity shots...haha only joking would sooner be at sea!

I also better say that M&J Seafood, Falfish and local fish merchant M Stevens have the contracts for this year. I wish everyone the best with it.

Good luck with the blogging Captain Walsh.

Well I suppose I better put in a guest appearance! I just don't know where the time goes, can't believe my back let me down for some of the season, this year. But I have been doing plenty of work behind the scenes. One of these things was looking into getting my own boat, so there would three boats for next year, but as of yet we're not quite sure what is happening for next season, as it is still too early for M&J to make a decision. I think as a whole the feedback from the man from Del Monte, Falfish, was that it was a successful season for ourselves and for them. It certainly is a interesting partnership that we can look forward to for the future, but like everything this takes time and unfortunatley I'm not the most patient person. On a personal note, my back is still not right and I'm working my own fast boat to catch line-caught sea bass and pollock, which again I have sorted out a  direct market, with M Stevens & Sons, for my tagged sea bass and I have negotiated myself and few others a fair price for our product, which is all you can ask for.

On our way in, landing Sunday with 425 fish! A decent run of fish! Possibly away again Tuesday, but will be a short trip as I have to be in Plymouth on the 4th October. Gee up where does the time go eh! I'm sure the older you get the quicker it goes. If we are away next week you won't be hearing from me, nothing personal, you will be hearing from number 2, if he hasn't done his back in again. We've had a fine trip home, weather wise! Thank you God! I am sat ere trying to chill out, reflecting on a few things while the boys are turned in catching up on their sleep. A beautiful Autumn sunrise is hitting the windows, when the weather is flat calm like this it's a fantastic job, but when it's a full on gale with massive seas hitting her, throwing you everywhere, you're cold, wet, tired and hungry it's the pits! You wish you were sat in an office somewhere. Me gonna chill out now! Tomorrow hopefully we are gonna kick Man United's ass. Asta la vista....adios amigos! Captaino

Landing Sunday morning with 420 fish =.

Well Don't know what to do now! Plently of whales, plently of feed, plenty of boats, sod all fish! I reckon they're gone, that's it finito! No more til next year, straight up, I hate to say it, bit I'm just being realistic. Quincy might be keen as mustard, chomping at the bit because he has been off with a bad back for near as dawn it two months now! I don't know whether I can take that risk of trying another trip, running up a 6k bill! I know nothing ventured nothing gained, I certainly know about little saying like we all do, I suppose that's the nature of the beast, but like I said I will make up my mind on Monday. Will keep you all posted, a real let down today, truely gutted as only had 9 fish! Going home with 425 fish, so there you go all I can say is if this is the last trip of the season, Captaino of the good ship Nova Spero, his family & crew all wish you well. Hope you log on throughout the winter as Quincy will keep you all amused no doubt. Regards Capitaino Edwards.

Today could be the last day of the season! Days are closing in the fish are going deep. The weather is breaking...this certainly isn't the place to get caught out in bad weather even in this battleship! The trouble is we need at least 10/12 days to have a chance of getting a trip. A trip is enough moneys worth of fish to pay the expenses. Have enough left over to share between myself, the crew! Just to try let you understand the running coats of my vessels per trip is approximately £6,000 - fuel lots of it, ice lots of that too, food, lube oil etc. That means we have to catch £6,000 worth of fish before we even start to earn any wages, that's a lot of fish believe you me! If we don't get a trip because of the weather I'm left with a pile of debt, so in a nutshell this might be the last trip of the season. I will make my mind up when I see the long range forecast when I get in. Had 70 fish today, but I feel the end is near! Happy Aniversery Jax...hope there's many more to come....love you so much....see you all soon xx Regards Captaino. 

The Weather is flat calm! The sun is shining, which is very unusual for u ere west of the emerald isle. Well we found an odd big fish today, along with John & the Spanish this morning, looked premising but the afternoon/evening was crap! Anyway we had 64 waxers. We've got Irish stew for tea tonight....Tom's recipe with plently of herbs and garlic! Wot a fella he is a real diamond! Stocks are getting low so might have to steak a tuna up! Anyway today has been a good day compared to the last few days, so I'm happier! It will be ok Jax, if you know what I mean! I love you and miss you Jax. Regards Captaino

The Charisma will be landing on Friday with around 500-600 fish!

All quiet with the fishing at the moment, due to water being a lot colder....no fish! We split up with the Charisma to try to find a bit of something. We went west and had 25 fish and John went south east and had 43 fish. I think the fish could have migrated early, as they are way up north. We are going to steam south east tonight to try and find some warmer water, the food chain isn't the problem as the sea is full of krill and small srimps, which the whales feed on! The Spanish boats have gone south east as well, just pray we find a bit between us all!

We both had 16 fish each today....the water is colder! The fish are gone....where...God only knows! Keep towing ....keep believing....more like keep towing! Hopefully improve but hard to tell at this moment in time! Regards Captaino

Well what can I say....this job is a rollercoaster of emotions! Ere I was yesterday buzzing thinking I would have 2-3 more days fishing like yesterday, so I would be in for my Wedding Aniversary and have a couple of nights with Jax kissing & cuddling! Then this bloody happens......NO FISH! So looks like I gotta do the distance, serves me right for building my hopes up I suppose....lash up! Anyway no fish, they are deep, can't see or don't wanna see the lures, either that or the 15-18 pair teams have spooked them, by towing big nets around the area all night! The noise from their big powerful sonars can affect the tuna's feeding habits sometimes, so therefore they won't come up near the surface to feed! which is not good for us....a bloody lash up infact! We ended up with 35 fish today! Gonna have a shoulder of lamb for tea...rich! The only thing is to keep towing.....keep believing! Regards Captaino.