“These sardines were swimming round Mount’s Bay at 10 o’clock last night!” crows Richard on repeat. The owner and head chef of Argoe, a seafood restaurant nestled into the quayside of Newlyn, spends the afternoon standing over the grill, tea towel tucked in at the hip; serving up colourful plates of homegrown vegetables and butterbean salad, topped with fat, succulent Cornish sardines. 

A no-frills, no-reservations kind of event has people grabbing a plate and finding a spot on the harbour wall, the restaurant perpetually filled to the brim with bums on seats. Locals mingle with visitors, cold glasses of vinho verde clutched in hand. Alfresco dining at its finest.   

The rustic setup on the terrace has the scent of Cornish sardines being charred over open flames wafting across the road and into the quaint village of Cornwall’s main fishing port. A continuous stream of people can be seen snaking their way along the pontoon, boats bobbing as they pass, on their way for a tour of a commercial fishing boat. This isn’t just any fish feast. It’s a love letter to the Cornish sardine and the people that catch them.

 

Sardines have been caught by fishermen in Cornwall since the 1500s, previously known as pilchards and pack salted, the fishery rebranded in the 90s; after market opportunities dried up. Since then, Cornish landings have risen from 7 tonnes a year to up to ten thousand tonnes. A highly sustainable fishery, the Cornish sardine fleet catches less than 2% of the stock total a year and is one of only two MSC certified in the world. There are around 15 vessels in Newlyn’s ring-net fleet and with the average age of crew under 40, it’s bucking the trend. David Pascoe has been fishing for more than 30 years. He chalks up the success of the fishery, as we know it today, to the investment in infrastructure and processing.  David finds the winter months easier; setting sail an hour before dusk, quite a bit of goes through his head throughout the afternoon, wind direction, current strength; he says experience still trumps the software each vessel now has on board. He explains no matter what you’ve devised on land you need to remain reactive “it’s about that hunter energy. You could chase shadows all evening, but you’ve got to stick to your instincts out there.”  

It’s not uncommon to witness fishermen hand-delivering their catch to the Argoe kitchen, but this Sunday, to mark the start of the Cornish sardine season, diners arrive early for an insider peak at the Cornwall’s sardine fleet. Members of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation and the Young Fishermen Network lead groups aboard the Lyonesse, where diners quiz the fishermen, steer the boat themselves and learn more about long nights on the water, and the art of sardine fishing passed down through generations.   

For Noelle Penney knowing her fish and meat haven’t travelled far is a dealbreaker when dining out. “It’s how I guarantee that freshness and, generally speaking, it’s better quality which is better for your health.” As Noelle heads inside for a look at the dessert menu, she quips back “There’s another thing about coming here and seeing where your fish has come from, it enhances your connection with the environment, impresses the urge to keep our waters clean and prevent further pollution that will spoil our seas and our fisheries.”   

The verses of the Boilerhouse, a Cornish acapella group, carry over the water, blending with the chatter of exuberant diners and the lapping of the sea. The music, much like the sardines, feels like a tradition revived—old but familiar, timeless in simplicity. As friends and families linger over the last of their drinks, kids clamber over the rocks, and the grills finally cool; a humble pride emanates off Richard as he muses about the kinship that emerges when everyone under one roof is eating the same dish.  “It reinforces a sense of community. This is the sort of thing we’d do on holiday, really enjoy and relish telling your friends and family about – the amazing sardines you ate in Europe, the beach, the smells, the chats with local fishermen – and that’s a big part of why we’re here to showcase that we have all that  incredible stuff right here.” he says.  

For those looking to experience the best of Cornwall’s seafood and learn more about the region’s fishing heritage, Argoe’s Cornish sardines celebration was the place to be. Be sure to mark your calendar for their next event. It’s sure to be one you won’t want to miss. 

Follow us on social media!

 

Instagram