Sorry it's been a couple of weeks since I last blogged, I have been away at sea quite a bit, but I have a trip off this week.

We have been getting in some regular trips for the time of year, usualy we have a run of westerlys that can hold us up, but with the cold east to northly wind direction we have had very little swell which has enabled us to work.

The cold weather has quite a few benefits for us fisherman as we know that it helps the fish stocks as the fish breed better with colder winters for some reason. Last year was a cold winter and we have seen a big improvement in most of the stocks particulary the cod stocks and this year looks set to be even colder so here's hoping.

It's not all about the Cod, another species that seems to prefer the cold weather down here is a close relation to the cod, Called the Whiting. We used to catch plenty of whiting this time of year in years past, but the last 10years or so we have not seen so many, but last year we seen an improvement and this year we are seeing a good few come on the grounds.

The whitings thay we are catching are of a good size and they are a great tasting fish, every bit as good as a cod or a haddock. There is a big market for whitings in France, where it is used in the Schools as the friday meal of the week.

We have also been picking away on the cuttles and squid, the haddocks have slacked off recently, as they usually do this time of year but we are seeing plenty of other species to make up for it.

Alec will be due in tomorrow for thursdays market, they have a good trip aboard for there 6day trip. I will have the boat away for the last couple of trips of the year , so I am hoping the fishing will keep up and we can call that it around the 20th and relax forXmas.