Following the monthly Board Meeting of Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners (NP&HC), here is an update on the latest developments at the Port.

The Harbour Commissioners are in the early stages of creating a new strategic plan to cover the next five, ten and twenty years. It will take time for this to be developed but it is of vital importance to the future prosperity of Newlyn Harbour. This process will consider key operational imperatives as well as development and diversification opportunities to maximise the potential of the Newlyn Harbour Estate for the benefit of the fishing industry and local community.

The creation of the Newlyn Marine Skills & Resource Centre, which will create a much-needed centre of excellence for learning and the further development of marine expertise in Cornwall, feeds into NP&HC’s vision for the Port and will enter the formal planning consent phase imminently.

Newlyn Harbour Master & CEO, Jonathan Poynter has recently attended a meeting of the British Ports Association’s specialist Fishing Ports Group in Peterhead. Among the topics of discussion was how ports can best work with fishers and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to calculate fish landing dues with greater accuracy. The Harbour Master will also attend the British Ports Association’s annual conference in London later this month.

NP&HC continues to discuss ideas to improve the information flow between stakeholders and Newlyn Harbour, including a protocol for reporting maintenance issues and communicating when they have been resolved.

A £90k project to remove nine wooden fender pylons at Newlyn Harbour and install steel replacements, funded by NP&HC, is now underway, following a slight weather-related delay. New pylons have already been installed on Mary Williams Quay and more will be replaced early in the New Year, subject to prevailing weather conditions and availability.

Further surface repairs are planned at North Pier to improve health and safety but will be delivered at a pace that causes minimal disruption to the working patterns of harbour users.

“The historic catch of pilchards – now rebranded as Cornish sardines – continues to play an important part in Newlyn’s landings with the season now well underway,” says NP&HC Chairman, Rob Wing. “From day-to-day operations to blue sky thinking, there is never a dull moment in Newlyn as we manage the operational needs of the present, consider the opportunities of the future and celebrate the harbour’s unique maritime past,” says NP&HC Chairman, Rob Wing. “These are exciting times for Newlyn and we are committed to keeping everyone updated about our plans.”