Looe Fish Selling Company and Looe Harbour Commissioners have been awarded Objective One Fisheries grants for over £90,000 to install the latest technology for a mobile electronic auction system offering full fish traceability. This puts Looe at the forefront of European fish markets and will be the first electronic auction system to be installed in Cornwall.

The process begins when the fish is landed.

The skipper enters the catch details onto a touch screen input terminal attached to electronic scales on the market. The information includes the date, boat name, fishing method, area, species etc. This data is then automatically printed giving each box of fish its own description with bar code and lot number.

This high tech collection of information links directly to the electronic auction on the market.

The new system operates what is known as a mobile auction clock and replaces the traditional shout auction. All of the buyers have a transmitter to make their bid and the price will rise until only one buyer is still pressing their transmitter.

This new technology will benefit the Looe Fish Market as well as the skippers. It is anticipated that the auction will be approximately 20% faster. It is also hoped to attract new buyers to the market especially when as anticipated the system goes "on line" in the near future.

The Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish) supports the project and has provided technical assistance.

Clare Leverton, Objective 1 Fisheries Programme Manager commented "The Objective 1 grant programme targets important projects such as this improvement at Looe, which will bring benefits, not just to the local fleet but fish processors and the fishing industry across Cornwall."

Tina Hicks of the Looe Harbour Commissioners stated "With this new electronic auction system, Looe will be assured of its future as a port offering the highest quality fish supported by the latest technology and will be able to present this fish to all the European markets in a highly professional way."

Heugh Symons a Partner of Looe Fish Selling Company and auctioneer, recently returned from the Tracefish conference in Spain where he presented this system for Looe Fish Market. He added "We are confident that with this new technology we will be able to offer the same level of service and traceability to both boats and buyers, as is found in larger ports and should ensure the future of Looe as a major fishing port in the South West."