Pasta & Prawn Parcels

With only a couple of weeks left working as a fishmonger in London I thought I would move away from my usual ranting and offer some blog posts of direct interest to fish eaters. Over the past five years i have probably sold something in the region of 2.7 metric tonnes of large black tiger prawns. These derive from Africa as a wild product or sometimes as farmed. As with all warm water prawns they are caught/harvested and then frozen before being transported. They are very impressive visually and are commonly used as the wow item at a dinner party or peeled and put into a curry. However, I have never eaten them as neither of the aforementioned methods really grabbed me so I searched around for a simple but tasty recipe.

Pasta & Prawn Parcels

225grm dried pasta preferably fettuccine or linguine
75ml green pesto (decided to use homemade)
2tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
75ml dry white wine
salt and pepper

I started by making some green pesto by grinding basil leaves and garlic into a paste. Adding some crushed toasted pine nuts, parmigiano, olive oil and beating in butter my pesto was ready. After fully peeling and deveining I was left with eight succulent juicy prawns.

Gently boil the pasta for 4 minutes then drain and set aside. When the pasta has cooled mix with half of the pesto. Add I tsp of olive oil to the centre of each 12" square greaseproof sheets then divide the pasta evenly on the top. Lay on the prawns and then spoon on the remaining pesto and the crushed garlic. Season, sprinkle the wine over, seal the parcels and bake for 10-15 minutes on 200c/Gas Mark 6.

Such a simple dish but hugely tasty and maybe I've proved to myself that prawns are more than just for chucking of the bar-be and these large prawns do have an excellent taste and texture if not overcooked.

Is sustainable and ethical ever achievable? Fishing for answers.

Sustainable – Capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage (Collins English Dictionary)

Ethical – In accordance with principles of conduct that are considered correct. (Collins English Dictionary)

You look from the window and watch your neighbor put three black bags of rubbish out and you wonder where his recycling is. You arrive at work on the bus at the same time a colleague pulls up in his brand new gas guzzling Range Rover. You over hear the man in Starbucks talking about his third flight to Europe this year. The fact is not everybody cares so why the hell should you? Our individual influence is tiny, the decision we make only fits into the small picture, but we can only do the best we can. When hearing about fish you will commonly be subjected to three opinions. The environmentalists will lobby hard using shock tactics to sway the public; the fisherman will use economic arguments to sway public opinion; the governments will use any tactics to sway the public to re-elect them. However there is a fourth opinion, one that is rarely heard, one that holds little value to these three groups – ours, the public opinion. I fit into this fourth group, but with a slight twist; I am a qualified fisheries scientist and also rely on selling fish for my income.

Many readers of my blog are aware of my views about the use of the word sustainability. In my opinion it is an overused term thrown around and generally applied in the wrong context by misled or ill educated users. ‘Is your cod sustainable?’ a customer asks. What answer would you be happy with? Generally ‘yes’ is good enough for most customers with them being happy that their purchase is ethical. But how many fishmongers would just say ‘yes’ to avoid the subject or make a sale? And how many customers would accept ‘yes’ for an answer as any further discussion would lead them way out of their depth? The answer is most if not all. It is a strange and confusing subject not helped by shockumentrys like ‘the End of The Line’. Immediately after its airing I was berated by a regular customer who had just seen this film. She was angry that we were selling, a fish she had been buying from us for over 4 years. Tuna was seen on the counter and instantly we were judged as 'unethical' fishmongers. The fish in question was a Cornish line caught tagged Albacore Tuna from a Marine stewardship council’s accredited fishery. The problem is that the press, as with many subjects, just confuse readers by bad, lazy or incorrect reporting. The key importance about a natural resource such as fish compared to the likes of oil and coal is that with careful management and monitoring it will continue to replenish itself over time and never become exhausted; so returning to cod, an excellent example of a fish currently in resurgence, there are now many safe areas this species can be taken from. We no longer have to search for Icelandic line caught or frozen pacific cod to feel easy about our homemade fish and chips. The fact that the scientists who are the most sceptical and ridiculed members of the stock status management system have suggest increases in cod quotas in many areas of the North east Atlantic says it all – correct management techniques work.

So if the press can be somewhat misleading and the some fishmongers know less than an 11 year old about the subject how are you ever going to make the correct ethical choice? Unfortunately there is no easy answer to this question. Certain websites such as those offered by the Marine Stewardship Council and The Red List give threat levels of many high risk species. But these species are not really of concern to the general public of the UK as they are not available for us to buy. 90% of us have never eaten Blufin tuna and anyone under the age of 40 has probably never eaten true skate yet these are the fish we are told to avoid. In stark contrast our neighbors across Europe continue to eat baby octopus and squid, slip sole (dover sole the size of your finger), juvenile rays, small whole cod and haddock, immature mackerel, sea bass, red mullet – the list goes on - and we also continue to discard perfectly good fish as prosecution for fishermen will result if they are land them. We do need to be realistic as if we all ate only 100% ethically sourced fish we would soon turn to meat. The few species that fall into this category are there for a reason because they are generally tasteless and it doesn’t matter how many times Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall tells us to eat organically farmed carp or dabs, Tom Aiken tells us how amazing Pollock is and how our favorite fish chef Rick Stein goes on about gurnard they will never replace real tasty fish. Troubling me is when the ethical benefits of such a fish as Pollock, and I believe now to more of an extent gurnard, are continually rammed down our throats increasing thus the demand and this coupled with no management or quota system in place two key issues will arise. Firstly the price will climb as fish are affected by supply and demand much like everything else and more concerning the stocks will become under increasing pressure. Ultimately the Pollock will become the new cod, but not for the reasons many are led to believe. I fully understand the benefits of switching our focus away from over-fished species to those that have succeeded to maintain their own stock status, however, few understand the implications of targeting these species to detrimental effect; pollack already falls into this category. It is not all doom and gloom and fear not as we can eat many species we are told to avoid such as dover sole, turbot or sea bass without feeling unfairly pressured by uneducated environmental groups we just need to know where, when and why.

Now you thought had found the perfect sourced fish, however, the capture method of your chosen fish, a fish that may tick all the boxes ethically, may actually have detrimental effect on other species. There does seem an awful lot to consider.

To me the fishing method is one of the most important issues:

Capture techniques

The 10 key capture techniques applied off the British Isles are as follows.

Beam Trawling

Of the net techniques this is by far the harshest. This method can have a tendency to gauge the sea bed removing everything in its path. It has huge implications for many marine species from corals to bi-valves and offers no selectivity of catch. Recently some fisherman have started using solid square mesh nets that allows a larger numbers of juvenile fish to escape but this is far from generic across the fleet. The catch from this method can also be of lesser quality and to be avoided if possible.

Otter Trawling

This is a mid-water trawl that uses two fixings, known as otter boards, to keep the net door open. Although not harsh like the beam trawl it is still unselective and can catch unwanted species. Due to its smaller size than the beam trawl this method can be used by day boats which do offer a higher quality catch.

Pair Otter Trawling

An adaptation to the otter trawl where two vessels tow a huge net in tandem. Can be known to catch huge amounts of fish and can be hugely unselective.

Purse seining

This method uses two vessels, a small one that lays a net circulating the fish shoal and a large on that retrieves the net. It is commonly used for catching tuna although its application around the British Isles is in the capture of sardines, herrings and anchovies.

Long Lining

Not often used to catch species offered in the UK but can be used to catch Atlantic Halibut.

Hook and Line

Currently the most fashionable fish are caught by this method. A highly selective capture technique that yields the highest quality of fish. Used mainly to catch Albacore, bass, pollock and mackerel.

Tangle nets

This method is usually used to catch crab. As the net is pulled onto the boat the body is pulled from the claws that are tangled in the net and returned to the water alive leaving it defenseless. If you like crab claws this is generally how they are collected.

Pots and Creels

A selective method used to catch lobster, crab and langoustine.

Dredging

This is the main collection method for scallops. It sounds a very harsh method, which it is, but the scallop fisheries are rotated regularly and successful signs of recovery are show year on year.

Diver Caught

This method is generally used to collect scallops and is as close to a 100% ethical fishery as possible. The problem that occurs is the availability and cost can tend to put consumers off.

A Case Study – "I tell everybody I eat only 100% ethically sourced fish"

Pollock and gurnard are very fashionable and are deemed as an ethical choice, pacific cod is another example and coley, ling, dabs and whiting also fit into this category, but are they truly the ethical answer? Well that answer is not really. They are certainly abundant species and generally believed to have strong stock levels, but they are all caught with non-selective capture methods (note there are a few pole caught pollack fisheries). This means that within the 4 tonnes of landed ling there could be, for all we know, 1 tonne of a threatened species that is then returned to the sea dead. It is impossible for the fisherman to determine exactly what their nets will catch. The majority of fish you see for sale, especially in supermarkets, are caught by unselective capture techniques. So if the species deemed sustainable are not ethically caught maybe you have to consider fish that are line caught if I wish to be branded 100% ethical. Well unfortunately another problem then arises. Hook and line caught is very different to pole and line caught but both are commonly branded as line caught. Pole and line is very selective and is used in many well managed fisheries. It is, however, also used in some of the tuna fisheries that are most under threat. With regards to the UK we have excellent Bass, Mackerel and Pollock fisheries that employ pole and line methods. The alternative method mentioned is the long line fishery which can be very unselective in its catch and has been shown to be hugely detrimental to some avian species such as the well documented albatross. It can also cause long term problems when fishing gear is lost – the term used for lost gear that continues to fish is ‘ghost netting’.

So our main course is decided and it is line caught Cornish mackerel, well that is what I’ve have been told!

I now need a starter so how about shellfish; crab starter must be ethical as its crab and nobody has mentioned they are threatened. Well maybe so but did you know many fisheries discard the bodies and keep the claws for picking or for sale intact. Last time you picked at those sweet little crab claws at a friend’s house did you pause to consider what happened to the body? So how about a prawn starter instead, but has the production of the bought crustacean resulted in the destruction of important mangrove swamps. It’s all two hard so let’s just serve organically farmed salmon as that is perfect unless of course escapees from that site have infiltrated the local wild salmon stocks.

I may have contrived to confuse the reader, but maybe this is way, maybe this is the goal. It is a hugely complex area that requires a lot more consideration than just not eating cod and only eating Pollock or sticking to line caught fish. Our biggest problem is overcoming the reams of misinformation thrown at us by governments, environmentalists, supermarkets and fishmongers. Whether purposeful or accidental many are convinced by these outlets that they are buying their dinner from a shop that sources their fish ethically. For me Waitrose is a great example as it leads the way by ‘sourcing all their fish from sustainable and well-managed fisheries’ and we must give them credit as they do try. However, recently I saw Ray wings weighing less than 230grms each on one of their counters. Granted, this specific species of short nose skate isn’t under threat and fits into their buying remit, however, is selling juveniles from a slow growing low yielding fish species ethical and will it not result in the long term collapse of the fishery?? I personally believe it is wrong and is very short sighted. Additionally a well known south London fishmonger recently commended by certain food writers for sourcing everything ethically also sells the same line and size of ray and worst still such species as swordfish.

I guess you have been waiting for me to tell you what you can and what you cannot eat. To do that would brand me alongside the ill informed environmentalists; however I can give you some useful guidance. Obviously avoid those well documented species that are critically endangered such as Blufin tuna and common skate and also other exotics like swordfish and marlin. Avoid slow growing and low producing species such as skates, rays and all shark species (the one you are familiar with is dogfish or huss). Try to avoid species caught by destructive capture methods like the beam trawl which may include Dover sole, rays and turbot. That area becomes a little confusing as these species can also be caught by otter trawl. Try to buy line caught fish if your budget allows. If it does not then avoid buying the alternative such as trawled mackerel and bass as buying these deems the achievements of the pole and line caught fisheries somewhat worthless. The majority of species caught off of the British isles are subject to a quota and/or minimum size limits. Some supermarkets disregard scientific quotas as not a true indication of stock status, however these are calculated on best scientific advice and are monitored and adjusted yearly. Although retrospective this is our best management tool and if the species was deemed critically endangered then the fishery would be closed. Waitrose, the leading supermarket in ethical fish sourcing, contradicts itself by first stating “For a fish to be termed "sustainable" in Waitrose it must meet the following criteria: Be caught from a well managed fishery with scientifically based quotas” then follows this up by saying “Waitrose does not take the existence of a legal quotas as evidence of sustainability”. This is as nonsensical as it sounds. If the fish is landed into a UK port and is for sale on the counter of a reputable fishmonger it is pretty safe to say it has been legally caught within a quota system. As long as the fish is not out of season (this is generally their spawning time) I see no concerns eating it. Some species also have minimum landing sizes but this does not mean the final product is ethical. For example monkfish have a very wide head so specially designed square shaped net mesh that is supposed to allow juvenile fish through is ineffective in the case of this species. Due to this the size limit has been set exceptionally low, 500grm whole, so when you consider the huge wastage of 65% plus this would yield a tail something in the region of 100grm (the size of your finger). Although this is the case it does not make it illegal to sell. I would certainly suggest avoiding all juvenile fish. There is no need to buy them just because the Italian cook book suggests tiny red mullet taste better; the is nothing sustainable and certainly nothing ethical about purchasing a fish product that is prefixed with BABY.

After consideration of the above I would also suggest always buying fish that are in season and try to vary your purchases. Maybe choose lemon sole occasionally over dover sole and brill over turbot. And do not forget that buying local fish will substantially reduce that carbon footprint. But maybe as important is try and be friend your fishmonger. You will soon know if he or she has any idea about what or from where the product he is selling is from, how it was caught and how old it is. My guess is he will be a little tongue tied.

My Previous Blog posts relating to this subject:

Tuna - The Unconsidered Alternative
Skating on thin ice - The plight of our skates and rays
I see trouble ahead
Strengths and weaknesses of fisheries stock assessment techniques  
What a mist'hake' to make 
What a load of 'pollocks' 

Try worming your way out of this one?

Have you ever taken a piece of fish home from a fishmonger and found a thin black worm in the flesh? If you have it has most certainly put you off that type of fish for life, not unsurprisingly. If you haven’t seen one you may have had a friend that has told you of such an occurrence. This scenario is quite common at this time of year (although there are incidences throughout the year) as fish gorge themselves on food from which the energy they gain is then applied into the production of gametes (eggs and milt). The majority of the bony flat and round fish go through the process of spawning between January and April. So what are these worms and where do they come from? They are parasitic round worms from the species Phocanema and follow the very simple life cycle of most marine parasites. Large marine mammals, generally grey seals, harbour the adult Phocanema who eggs are laid in the stomach of the seal. These eggs are released into the water, hatch, and are then eaten by crustaceans, which are in turn eaten by fish. The worm will then make its way into the flesh of the fish before the fish is eaten by a mammal which completes this very simple cycle. Commonly referred to as Cod worms many species can be affected and some to a huge extent. Cod, Monkfish and John Dory are probably the least affected and easiest to deal with as these three species have nice white flesh making Phocanema easier to spot. Both Hake and Gurnard, more so Tub than Red, can be inundated with Phocanema generally in the stomach and a little in the flesh. Sea Bass can also show signs of Phocanema to some extent at this time of year. I have never seen an incidence in Dover Sole and only once in Lemon sole. Pelagic midwater feeders such as mackerel and herring rarely come into contact with Phocanema.

Most importantly these worms are harmless to humans and die immediately if cooked. Additionally they will die when frozen – probably the reason why worms are never found in many supermarket fish.

So what should you do if you are sold fish with Phocanema in? Firstly, I hope no fishmonger would purposely sell fish inundated with Phocanema, however, if you are buying a whole fish, especially Gurnard, the fishmonger my be unaware of any Phocanema in the flesh. Additionally, if you are buying a very thick piece of cod or Monkfish it could be impossible to see that Phocanema is present. Other than those two scenarios there is no excuse apart from laziness of profiteering to sell a piece of fish with Phocanema in it. If you do see Phocanema in your fish or fillet just put the point of a small knife into the flesh and underneath and lift which will remove the subject. If it is inundated you should consider returning to the fishmonger and asking for a replacement. Be aware the shop is not legally obliged to replace or refund your money, however, I see no reason as why they wouldn’t if they are reputable.

Japanese (Con)fusion at Fujisan

I have never blogged about a meal after attending an eatery or dining establishment; many others provide this service to a very high standard. However, anger has led me to write a review, if it can be described as that, about my local Japanese restaurant. Fortunately for ‘Fujisan’ it does not have an over elaborate description of its restaurant, food or dining experience on its website. Maybe somebody has asked them to remove it in the past?

Now, I have actually eaten at Fujisan twice before. The first time was a disaster with poor service and sub standard food. The second visit was much more successful thus dismissing the first trip as a one off. Oh dear, what a mistake to make. In fact the second visit was the one off, the hole in one, the surprise 21^st birthday present whereas visits 1 & 3 were the missed penalty, the getting caught cheating with your team mates bird, the breaking down in tears when being interviewed.

After a very busy Friday at the fishmongers and a restful drink in a local bar my wife and I decided to wander over to Fujisan for some dinner. The restaurant was about half full and we were seated immediately. After 15 minutes of inactivity around our table we were finally asked if we were ok? This was a strange question as the two tables that were seated after us were already on their starters – of course I wasn’t ok, I was exceptionally hungry. Drink and food orders taken (and the worst decision of the evening of not to get up and leave made) we sat and waited and waited and waited – for Edamame (Steamed soybean pods marinated in ginger and spring onions). Were they growing them? Stupidly I asked for a drink whilst waiting for the illusive pods. A tin of Sapporo – you beauty – this will calm me. Suddenly the fearful thought crossed my mind ‘Would they need to brew it first?’ Yes! This never came so I asked again and then again and when it finally arrived the waiter was extremely confused as I poured and toasted its arrival out loud. Sarcastic fool that I am this was the highlight of my evening. With pods, and to be fair a decent portion of Glazed pork ribs consumed, we waited and waited and waited. Even the tables that were seated after us had finished and were at home in bed. 1 hour and 20 minutes after being seated we decided egg on toast at home would suffice. Leaving a restaurant before your main course arrives can cause confusion in the ranks, however, this was unique. Shouting and arguing between the owner, the front of house and the waitress prevailed. The waitress was marched into the kitchen for a bollocking which was a little unlucky as she hadn’t even taken our order. Then they made their worst decision of the night to charge us for what we had consumed. On asking for a receipt I was told there wasn’t one. The owner told me the waitress was confused due to the language barrier. A barrier that hadn’t existed when taking our money. Laughing out load and stating openly my opinions of their restaurant we left only to be followed down the road by the owner shouting ‘I have you receipt, I have you receipt’. I wonder if he did stick it where I told him too?

Fujisan 

326 Balham High Road, Tooting, SW17 7AA

http://www.fujisanrestaurant.co.uk/ 

(Price £10 ahead but may increase if you receive a main course)

Liver little and try something unique

Every now and then a treat turns up on our fish counter. This time it was monkfish liver. A unique delicacy, and important to me I can deem it ethical; it is a by product that is usually cast back overboard. You see most unusual delicacies fit into the unique groups of endangered or critically endangered – Dodo eggs for example are covered by one of these.  Anyhow, whilst the South-West fisherman attempt to gain accreditation from the marine stewardship council (MSC) for the sustainable status of their (I use 'their' loosely as we technically all own these fish) sole and monkfish grounds we can comfortably assume that levels of monkfish off our Cornish peninsula are sound. Of course I am aware stock levels of monkfish in other catch areas, the Bay of Biscay for example, are in a severe or even a critical status, however, I am not sourcing my products from these fisheries.

I have a simple recipe for monkfish liver that was given to me by a customer a couple of years ago. However, I decided to search through my large selection of fish cookery books to find Rick Stein or Keith Floyd’s recommendations on preparation and serving. Hang on nothing, not a mention. Has Rick Stein never heard of it? Did Keith Floyd leave his in a bag on the fish counter whilst in a rush to catch the Offie before it closed? Searching the internet also offered little helpful information apart from its application in Japanese cuisine. 

 

The simple but effective recipe:

Season the liver well then dust in flour.

Pan fry in butter until crispy on each side.

When done add a squeeze of lemon or drop of vinegar to the pan.

Roll onto a warmed plate and serve with crusty brown bread.

Alternative recipe

Monkfish Liver, bacon and pea shoot salad with a poached hen's egg
http://tinyurl.com/yhcpeme

It is very rich and has a creamy texture and maybe a small amount, 100grms per person, is needed. To my surprise it didn’t sell that well, but I put that down to receiving it on the wrong day of the week. I will try again so many of you can taste this delight.

Nets and Fish - The old fashioned way

In my recent past I was lucky enough to be part of a successful fisheries consultancy firm. We undertook the dirty work behind the scenes whilst the larger contractors and engineering firms took the glory on the back  of their press conferences. However, our work was by far the most enjoyable. Although a little dated I thought I would share this piece from my old, and fairly static website, With a View to Fisheries. I thought it would be of interest to those who are interested in fish and those many London follows that would have driven past this reservoir on numerous occasions.

Seine netting contracts are commonly undertaken in conjunction with a full or partly drained water body. However, certain situations require further, more complex measures. Occasionally reservoirs are almost completely drained for one of three reasons. Designated filler reservoirs are commonly seen to have extremely low water levels come the end of the summer. Whether for drinking water purposes or feeding canals and rivers these water bodies lose water, however, the levels are controlled and observed daily which minimises the risk to fish stocks. More commonly the stock levels are calculated with water loss in mind thus problems are rare.

The second reason for dewatering directly relates to fisheries. The easiest way to crop or catch fish or a designated species is to remove their medium, water. Reservoirs are commonly used as stock ponds, therefore they are periodically drained. Again little problems are envisaged with this procedure as the water is usually well known by the contractors or owners and the knowledge and equipment is already in place. Conversely, islands or reed beds may need adding or altering thus water levels have to be dropped. The final, and most relevant, reason behind water removal regards large-scale engineering works. Dams leak, sluices block, silt deposits accrual and weed becomes out of hand. These all require plant and machinery which indicates access to difficult areas. Water needs to be removed to carry out these jobs - some times all of it!!

So why do fishery consultants become involved with large-scale drain downs? More emphasis is put onto the environmental issues than ever before and as one can imagine a large-scale fish loss is totally unacceptable. Fish that derive from the drained water body are usually dealt with in one of two ways. They can be stored in designated areas, ponds or lakes, or they can be removed from the site, sold and then replaced when the reservoir is re-filled. The reservoir owners or their designated fishery manager takes this decision. In December 2001 MEM Fisheries Ltd undertook one of the aforementioned drain downs which has offered me a case study to explain such procedures.

Site Description

Brent Reservoir (also known as the Welsh harp) is situated at the foot of the M1 motorway in the London Borough of Brent. This disused filler reservoir is approximately 110 acres in size and is used for many water activities - ironically angling is not undertaken on the reservoir. The reservoir is owned by British Waterways with John Ellis, Fisheries and Environmental manager, BW South East over seeing the fish removal. The image below shows the immense scale of the reservoir  and an early morning sunset.

 

On the bottom of the aerial view the reservoir dam can be seen. Just to the right of centre is the sluice tower and this is where all of the following photographs have been taken from. The reservoir is gravity drained, a more efficient and cost effective method than pumping. It was drained very slowly as the reservoir has high silt levels thus increased water flow would cause this substrate to be sent down the river. The water is deposited into the River Brent via an advanced mechanically controlled sluice system. This sluice was the area of concern and the cause of the reservoir drain down. A section needed replacing and as it was situated at the bottom of the deepest area of the reservoir all of the water was needed to be removed.

The biggest concern with any drain down is knowing quite where the water is going to end up. Now, in theory the water will always drain to the deepest end, this is true for all sites. Unfortunately many lakes and reservoirs have uneven beds that tend to leave many pools of water scattered across the area. Deep silt deposits make retrieving fish from these hold ups very difficult and very time consuming. In general the contours of the lake bed should be assessed to allow the proper planning of large scale jobs; this is easiest done with an echo sounder. Fortunately, Brent Reservoir was drained 8 years ago for similar engineering reasons thus it was known exactly where the fish would be in the final stages. Commonly though, larger waters, when drained, are being done for the first time, therefore prior knowledge is unavailable. Bad planning will result is fish loss, a totally unacceptable and unnecessary scenario.

Job Preparation

It had been decided, in collaboration with English Nature and The Environment Agency, that the fish were to be stored in two secure canal pounds situated at Hanwell on the Grand Union Canal. These pounds would be closed to boat traffic use and were alongside British Waterway's offices for extra security. The stock densities of short canal pounds are commonly low, therefore a small-scale netting and electrofishing operation was undertaken to remove the original stock. These fish were allocated to the canal above and below the secure pounds; migration is common in canals thus fish would soon return to the holding pounds when the Brent Reservoir project was completed. After this small exercise was accomplished the drain down could commence.

The Netting

 

 

At low water level the access to the dam section was difficult. A small boat was the only option as it needed pulling across the silt to the remaining water. Seine netting was the only option available to catch the fish safely and quickly. Due to the silt levels and unknown quantities of fish a relatively small 180-metre seine net was used. Large quantities of juvenile fish combined with thick gill blocking silt would spell disaster. Although the activity of the larger fish in a landed seine net will clear large quantities of silt smaller fish tend to perish, therefore it was imperative not to over catch in any one single net.

The three pictures above outline the process of laying the seine net. The net was loaded onto the boat and then laid in a semi circular shape. The sluice tower is shown in the image on the right; the majority of the netting took place to the left of this tower. These images were taken about 6 days into the operation; there was approximately a further 7 acres of water at the start of netting. The net was reasonably heavy to land and required 4 men to achieve this task. The two main problems were silt levels and the deep sump hole in front of the tower. The silt in the net had a tendency to slide down the sump causing strain and pain to those left pulling the net.

With such a steep dam coupled with large quantities of silt the net was extremely heavy when it was time for the leads to be pulled in. On occasions three people were needed to hold up the corks to stop them from being towed underneath the water surface. A benefit was the solid concrete dam that allowed excellent grip under foot. It is common to be waist deep in silt at the net landing stage. The image above shows the leads being pulled in whilst the net and cork line is eased up the shelf. This is the most important stage of any netting as one false move would result in total loss of fish.

The Catch

As previously mentioned Brent Reservoir was drained 8 years prior to this fish rescue. The reservoir bed was exposed to the air for 3 months with the addition of many heavy frosts. This allows the break down of silt deposits and an overall increase of fertility with regards to promotion of fauna and flora. The benefits of this were directly shown in the current yield of fish. Even with high cormorant populations the total stock level had increased by 70% to that of 7 years before. Year classes of all fish were present compared to just roach the previous time. Only small numbers of carp and tench between 8oz and 1lb 8oz were caught. These were severely damaged by cormorants, therefore the levels of these species lower year classes could have been much higher. However, the carp and tench had spawned and achieved a mild success rate. All year classes of roach were present and healthy, bream and perch were also present alongside various gold fish and ornamentals, obviously stocked by the public. There were pike into double figures and carp to over twenty pounds. The three pictures below show the fish in all their glory. Top and Bottom are the vast quantities of silver fish yielded by the reservoir. The centre image shows one of the ornamentals, in this case a white Koi carp.

The Fish Movement

Although catching the fish was a fairly straightforward process the removal and loading was far from easy. The small obstacle of a concrete dam wall stood in the way of easy loading. The only efficient way to get fish from the water to the tanks at the top of the dam was through sheer hard work. Slings of fish, approximately 20 lbs in weight, were loaded and then carried to the base of the wall. A rope was attached to the sling and then it was manually hauled to the top where the fish could be released into the tank. The period of the drain down saw over 1000 slings of fish pulled to the top of the dam. The relatively poor water quality, mainly caused by the silt, meant that the fish needed to be removed and loaded into clean, oxygenated water as quickly as possible.

As small fish tend to reside at the surface of the net, thus easily caught, a tank was designated for 0-2+ silver fish. This would remove the additional stress caused by larger fish charging around inside a tank. Carp and larger fish traveled separately as their lower dissolved oxygen requirements meant higher quantities can be moved together. The very low water temperatures allowed up to 900lbs of fish to be transported in one tank at any one time. Providing the water is clean, the temperature is low and the correct level of oxygen coupled with the correct diffusers are used there is no reason why 1200lbs of carp (850lbs of roach) cannot be successfully transported in one tank. The fish were loaded and taken to Hanwell where they were stocked into their temporary home.

With regards to water drainage Brent Reservoir is very efficient. Although silt levels are high and access is relatively poor the water does drain to one point on the dam. No pools of any note are left, therefore all of the fish can be successfully caught with nets. Once the water had been drained to a small pool approximately 7 square metres in size only one carp was left to rescue. The continued dragging of a seine net had resulted in the successful removal of all the fish resident in the reservoir. Overall a comparatively easy drain down to complete.

Re-capturing and returning Brent's stock

The re-capture of the fish required a very different process. Small nets, 50 metres in length, were dragged along the canal where they met strategically positioned stop nets. These stop nets are used to break up a length of canal into easily manageable sections. The net is then closed to the bank and landed. This process can be seen in the photographs below. The biggest problem encountered with netting urban canals is the multitude of items thrown in by the public. Bicycles, lawn mowers umbrellas etc all need removing before successful nets can be landed. The only way to find these items is by dragging the nets, therefore continued de-snagging was required.

The pictures below show some of the fish being returned to a brim full Brent Reservoir. On the top is one of the very large carp and the right is our friend, the white Koi, returning home. Our very own Professor Parr is holding both of the fish. The centre picture illustrates one of many nets of roach and silver fish being released. Although the natural stocks require a large return of small fish many resident fish eating birds also welcomed the re-stocking of such species.

Conclusion

The drain down, fish removal and engineering works on Brent reservoir in 2001/02 were a resounding success. Many thousands of fish were safely stored whilst large scale works were carried out. However, the picture below shows a frozen Brent Reservoir on Christmas Eve proving Mother Nature will always intervene if every thing is going to plan. This weather caused a cessation in work for over two weeks. It is highly unlikely Brent will be drained again in the foreseeable future, however, if the stock continues to thrive in a similar fashion to 8 years ago Brent Reservoir will once again become a successful haven for a diverse selection of fish species and fish eating birds.

A New Year, Roes and Very Poor Shows

Moving into the New Year is a testing time for us mongers. We have sub zero temperatures to endure (-7 lowest so far and we have no front door), slippery pavements, transport problems and customers watching their pennies. But the most difficult and testing part is the explaining to people that many fish are out of season. “Fish have seasons! You learn something everyday” was the most recent remark, but they do, and very distinct ones. At this time of year many round and flat fish are preparing to reproduce. The utmost effort is aimed towards the production of gametes, milt or roe, with little emphasis on flesh production. Already the good quality flatfish, such as plaice, have almost disappeared from sale. Plaice are a particularly good example as they produce huge roes that has a major detriment to the quality of the flesh. Those fishmongers that only offer line caught species such as Bass, Red Mullet and Mackerel will also see these dwindle as many fisheries will self impose a closure to protect their future stock levels. Dover Sole, and to some extent Lemon Sole, will now start to roe and only the discerning fishmongers will be selective with what they offer; for those that aren't this is a very poor show. Of course I wish it was simple but fish across vast water bodies have their own seasons so spawning species in one area may have already spawned in another area. So I suggest you ‘look at the show and avoid the roe’ as a better quality product will be your prize.

Fish, Wine, and a Jolly Good Time

I have never blogged about dinning experiences in restaurants as a) not sure I have experienced enough good food to compare and b) many others do the restaurant reviewing so well. Two or three times a year I undertake the fish extravaganza at my flat where a few join my wife and i for numerous fish courses accompanied by much lovely wine; last nights was quite unique. My wife was away for this one so I was joined by my boss and a work colleague and two fellow Chelsea green workers, one, Jimbo, whom is a director of top wine merchants Haynes, Hanson and Clark. Jim supplied the wine and until this dinner I hadn’t realised how real wine tasted.

We started our dinner with some fantastic wild south coast native oysters and a select few Maldon rock oysters. Both of these are just sublime, clean tasting with fantastic textures. With just a squeeze of lemon and a glass of 2002 vintage Pierre Vaudon the perfect start to any fish meal.

On the night a couple of the courses stood out for everyone. The first out was my home cured gravlax, cut slightly thick and accompanied by a horseradish and mustard cream sauce. They blended fantastically together and I was delighted with the outcome. Accompanied by a Sancerre Terre de Maimbray 2008, probably my favourite white of the evening, this course was enjoyed by all.

 

Of course as the night went on my cooking suffered due to blurred vision. However at this part of the night I was still running on all cylinders and my classic fish soup was just sublime and enjoyed by all. This dish has never been a favourite of mine but recently I ate at Racine on Knightsbridge and Henry Harris really inspired me with his fish soup that was absolutely delightful. Mine didn’t match his but it was very good. It is difficult to obtain the correct fish for this dish so I used red mullet, monkfish, conger and gurnard and served it with rouille and my only cheat of the night – shop bought croutons. Poured with this course was a Steinerrassen Riesling 2006.

After a short rest we moved onto grilled scallop with hazelnut and coriander butter (a Rick Stein recipe). The scallops I used were jumbo Scottish hand dived beauties that weighed over 120grms which is 4-5 times the size of your average scallop. The butter was beautiful, but maybe the scallops were not warmed enough. I underestimated their size and the failings of my grill. However, they tasted fabulous and the wine served, a 2006 Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir was amazing.

 

My spaghetti vongole was a bit of a disaster. It tasted very nice but I was just too pissed to make the most of the spaghetti I had made earlier. Such a shame as it is one of my favourite dishes but you can’t win them all. Fortunately the 2003 Chabllis Grand Cru Clos saved the day as it was so fantastic it moved talk away from the poor course I had just served.

 

I clawed back some dignity with my John Dory en papillote which is cooked with cherry tomatoes, black olives and fine green beans. This is one of my all time favourite dishes and the simplicity of the dish compliments the delicate nature of the fillet. With the white wine finished we moved onto a couple of amazing reds. Firstly a 2004 Nuit-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots followed by the piste de resistance a 2001 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru.

 

I suppose we should have been full by then but a huge amount of cheese, including and amazing pecorino with black and white truffles, and a bottle of port passed us by and then straight from the silverspoon cookbook four of us managed to consume a tiramisu at about 2:30 in the morning.

Almost forgot the final tipple that being the Syndicate 58/6 12 year old

Normally these parties are all about the fish but I am happy to say the wine took centre stage

Old Birds & Old Fish - Magical museum exibits

Probably your first visit to London was to the Natural History museum. A magnificent building idealistic of the age it was built in with memorising gargoyles' and figurines now staring down on the cueing tourists. A statue of Thomas Huxley greats you as you enter the main doors, the man so in favour of Darwin theories, and so against one of the original museum curators Professor Richard Owen creationist views. As you enter the building the breathtaking high ceilings become engrossing and the architecture just mesmerising and then ….. you head for the dinosaurs!!! 

I love this museum and am unsure how many times I have visited it even though it now seems geared only towards children and foreign tourists. My monthly trip leads me to only four exhibits and it is the same four every time, but to me, they are the only four. Firstly the Mary Anning collection incorporating the plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs. There is something so very close to home about this collection mostly from the Lyme Regis area. Each fossil has its own story. 

A left turn then takes me to the stuffed replica Dodos. One has to remember no preserved Dodos exist so my ears are covered when hearing a teacher tell his pupils they are real. The story is amazing considering that all stuffed offerings are modelled from drawings; not even a complete skeleton remains. This is a real story of humans’ ability to remove a species in a 35 year period.

From the Dodo I meander pass the children to the memorising display of hummingbirds (Victorian period) pinned to a board. There is something addictive about gazing into this glass case at these beautiful birds until that sick feeling of what you really are looking at hits you. From there I walk straight across the main hall to a small glass tank of formaldehyde sat lonely in an alcove. As I stand there transfixed on a pale white fish people walk to the tank, glance, dismiss, and walk away. Not a second thought is given to the importance of what is in front of them. They throw their eyes at the meaningless tiny plaque that only states ‘coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae Smith, 1939. No body offers more than 10 seconds of their time to study my friend and the museum offers no information as to why they should. At a point in the late 1930s this fish was thought to be the link between wet and dry. The papers were littered with ‘missing link’ headlines. A worldwide hunt started for another specimen leading to an international incident involving France and South Africa. Ultimately the fish was proved not to be the walking miracle once thought but the story behind Marjorie Latimer’s first discovery in 1938 and the events that followed just show how important the scientific world deem these findings. Amazingly it hit the news again in 1998 when a couple of marine biologists on honeymoon in Indonesia spotted one on a wooden trolley in a fish market. This fish was thought only to habit the areas around the Comoros off Eastern Africa. More history was in the making. 

My visits to the Natural History Museum are short and sweet. I hope, however, on your next visit you might take a look at the ichthyosaurs and Dodos, the Hummingbirds and my friend the coelacanth in a new light and for more than 10 seconds.

'The Dinosaur Hunters' Deborah Cadbury ISBN; 1-85702-963-1 
'Dodo from extinction to icon' Errol Fuller ISBN: 0-00-714572-1
'A fish caught in time-The search for the coelcanth' Samantha Weinberg ISBN: 1-85702-907-0