Blog post: fishing port safety visit to Cornwall

As part of the Fishing Port Safety Project, project manager, Kevin Robinson, recently visited seven ports in Cornwall, with the aim of raising the awareness of fishing port safety amongst port users and operators.

Beginning in Looe, Kevin was pleased to see some excellent facilities for fishers, including chillers, davits, security systems and new fenders. Good housekeeping provided a clean and safe working environment, which was well segregated from the public areas. This busy port was well served by a good team with a focus on safe operations.

From Looe, Kevin travelled to Newquay, where he found a quite different set of circumstances awaited. During a walk around the port with the harbourmaster, the ease with which the general public could access the port, quickly highlighted some of the challenges faced by this and other, similar ports. As a popular holiday destination, harbours such as these can become incredibly busy tourist hotspots, which often present safety concerns on a scale not encountered in even the busiest of commercial ports.

Newquay is not unique in this respect. Visits to St Ives and Mevagissey, all revealed a symbiotic relationship with the visitor economy, resulting in car parking, food and drink outlets, and souvenir shops, vying for space with fishers and other port users. Couple this with an abundance of leisure users and perilous activities such as ‘tombstoning’, and the challenges become starkly obvious. The ports are doing a good job of managing these various challenges, though they undoubtedly place a strain on resources and time. Despite the challenges, the harbourmasters at each location were enthusiastically and diligently working to ensure the safety of all port users.

The next stop at Hayle revealed that they had undergone plenty of changes in recent times and it was encouraging to hear how they have attempted to adapt to these changes and continue to provide an excellent service to their port users. With an experienced and active harbourmaster, things look to be in safe hands and it is hoped that this will help to bring them safely through any future uncertainties.

Lacking a harbour – and, therefore, some of the associated challenges – Sennen Cove, provided a different outlook. With beach-launched boats lined on a concrete slipway, this pretty port clearly shows how small fishing ports have to balance commercial fishing activities with tourism.

With a final stop at one of the busiest fishing ports in the South West, Newlyn has a buzz about its harbour that is hard to beat. With a selection of beamers, netters and potters in port, it didn’t disappoint. After being sold on the market, fish was being loaded for onward transport across the UK and beyond.

Newlyn is also home to Seafood Cornwall Training and it was good to learn of their activities and events, in support of Fisher’s safety. A meeting with PSS member Fishing Animateurs to discuss future funding opportunities rounded off a very informative and beneficial visit to the South West.

Getting out and meeting members, or potential members, and highlighting the important work they do, is a vital part of PSS’s work. To organise a tour of your port, please get in touch.