'Sad day' as city fish market holds final auction

The final auction at Plymouth fish market started at 06:00 BST on Friday

Fishermen have expressed sadness after the company that ran Plymouth's fish market for nearly 30 years held its final auction.

Plymouth Trawler Agents (PTA) informed staff two weeks ago it would cease trading on Friday.

Sutton Harbour Group, which owns the market buildings, paid tribute to PTA, calling it a "long-standing pillar of the fishing community" and said it was "committed to the re-establishment of the fish market at Sutton Harbour as quickly as possible".

PTA has been contacted for comment.

PTA was set up in 1994 and ran fish auctions each weekday in Sutton Harbour, employing about 24 people.

Edward Baker is from the Plymouth Fishing & Seafood Association

Edward Baker, from Plymouth Fishing & Seafood Association, said it was a "very sad day for all" but he believed Plymouth would always be a fishing port.

"There's a lot of will and desire here to make sure that the market continues and we've set something up so that fishermen can continue to land directly to merchants here in Plymouth," he said.

"We hope that we can restart a market here fairly soon and I just urge people to support the local industry by continuing to come down here to the fish quay to buy fish from the local merchants.

"This market started from nothing as a collective of fishermen and the same people are still here with a will and a passion to make it work again - we really hope and believe there will be a new market."

Sutton Harbour Group said is had started discussions with other organisations about running the market

Sutton Harbour Group said it had already started discussions with organisations interested in running the market and had been "intensively engaged" with multiple groups to ensure catch being landed at Sutton Harbour would go to market in Brixham or Newlyn.

It confirmed it would continue to provide services to enable the landing of fish, including the sale of fuel and ice.

The group advised fishermen to develop contracts with operators in Brixham and Newlyn to ensure auction payments were settled.

"The company is committed to working with the fishing industry and its various members to 'weather this storm', with the hope and intention of emerging from it together, with a stronger and enhanced fish market operation looking to the future," it added.