Many skippers are landing at Newlyn and loading their fish on lorries destined for Devon where they claim the fishing port pays higher prices and delivers a better service. A St Ives skipper who lands at Plymouth for what he perceives to be higher prices, described Newlyn as behind the times and said the port's managers failed to grasp the concept of selling fish in the 21st century.Dave Stevens of the trawler Crystal Sea, said landing at Newlyn meant fishermen could only sell to the buyers on the market.

"At Plymouth an electronic auction lets buyers from everywhere bid for my fish on the internet. My catch is sorted, graded and processed and when buyers log on at 5.30am all the weights of my fish will be in bids on the board. You get none of those services at Newlyn."

However, another skipper, who preferred not to be named, said the jury was still out on the prices at Newlyn and Plymouth.

"There's been a perception among skippers that they're getting slightly higher prices for their species than others at Plymouth but then again you have trawlers that have decided to stay here in Newlyn because they are thinking the price of the prime fish is better here.

"I don't think anybody has really sat down and analysed it."

Andrew Munson, Newlyn's harbour master and clerk to the port's harbour commissioners, told The Cornishman there were plans to set up an electronic auction.

He said Newlyn's regeneration would bring sorting, grading and processing services to the port but confirmed these services would not be implemented in phase one of the project which includes a new market building and several processing units and won planning permission in December.

Godfrey Adams of Trelawney Fish, one of Newlyn's major buyers, said he was not convinced Plymouth market presented a "rosier picture" but agreed the trend of Newlyn boats landing on that market had weakened the buying power at Newlyn harbour.

"It's a pity some boats are landing away and I think the harbour should be asking these fishermen what the problem is and start dealing with it in an objective and direct way. We don't want to be reliant on fish that is landing at Plymouth," he said.

Mark Heslop, auctioneer at Plymouth market, said 80% of the buyers dealt on the internet.

"It's popular because it's a transparent system. In a shout auction people can get together beforehand and have a whisper and decide what they can do."

article copyright THE CORNISHMAN 

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