BRIXHAM FISH MARKET
dayboats to steaming great trawlers. the catch is unpredictable and different every day depending on the season and weather and, importantly, this affects the price.
Once landed, the fish is graded,
weighed and boxed in white crates (yellow for scallops) which are all labelled neatly showing its contents and what fishing boat it was landed on. the boxes are then carefully laid out in lines and the buyers move in a relaxed but purposeful manner around the carpet of white plastic crates as each box is auctioned off by the kilo.
Despite the modernisations with illuminated auction boards, some internet bidding and computerised bills, the old traditions and practices are still very much apparent. mark tells me that brixham is unique in that it is the last shouting fish auction in the country with all the traders equipped with the essential notebook and pen to note in fisherman’s shorthand the lot bought and at what price. Who knows how long that will last. mark clearly knows what he is looking for and for what price and leads me around showing me what is available.
I
meanwhile, as the only woman in the room, look like the proverbial fish out of water and follow mesmerised by the surprisingly quiet goings on and the array of differing fish – mackerel, cod, John Dory and the unforgettable slimy conger eels. the top catch is the hook and line caught sea bass which can fetch up to £1,000 a crate - and that’s before it gets on the plate. I tried hard to take in everything mark was
Above: Mark Lobb in his new shop in the Old Market Square, Dartmouth
- he knows all the faces, all the stories and knows a good fish when he sees one. He is passionate about what he does and has done it for 40 years having learnt from his father. It’s a hard and somewhat antisocial life in the fish trade
The fish we get locally really
doesn’t get any
saying - a smorgasbord of information about fish, the industry and the characters. there was way too much to learn in a couple of hours and I was not surprised to hear that it’s a business many stay in for life acquiring knowledge along the way. the fish industry is a complex one with buzz words of
better.
and, though the risks and costs can be high, the rewards can also be substantial. I was told of one skilled and savvy fisherman who earned £250,000 in a week after hitting a shoal of anchovies. As dawn broke and our tour ended mark led me out onto the quay to the largest ice-making machine I have ever seen. Here he filled his crates with ice to keep his purchases fresh. I joked that this would be the place for the ultimate ice bucket challenge or the setting for a gory, murder-filled thriller. With that I depart with my brain full of
information and clasping a stash of fresh, shiny sprats for the dinner table. We are truly lucky to have such an industry
conservation, discards, marine protection, sustainability and responsible fishing. Add into that, international politics, bureaucracy and media distortions and you can get tangled in the net. unlike many other ports the brixham fishery is largely sustainable and has a world-class reputation for quality with over 70% of our fish being sold for export. mark Lobb himself has been in the business for 40 years
on our doorstep. the fish we get locally really doesn’t get any better and it doesn’t need to be expensive or difficult to cook. Any good local fishmonger knows it all - what’s good, where it comes from, how it’s fished and, most importantly, how to cook it. And do go and check out mark Lobb’s new shop in the market - I recommend the sprats and I gather he does a mean paella too! to visit brixham fish market and see the day’s catch being auctioned off contact south Devon AONb or phone 07410 617931•
31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156