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