Celebrating Cornish Sardines

Celebrating Cornish Sardines: Festival Highlights

August (Bank Holiday time) in UK and we have discovered a new festival. The Cornish Sardine Festival in Newlyn had its maiden event and from all accounts it will be a regular on the ‘foodies’ calendar henceforth.

A Small Fish Making Big Waves (and How It Stacks Up Globally)

Newlyn turned the late-August Sea breeze into aroma and song at the inaugural Cornish Sardine Festival, a harbourside showcase of fresh fish, skipper stories, and simple cooking that let sardines speak for themselves. Think grill smoke curling over the quay, tours aboard local purse-seiners like Lyonesse and Inter-Nos, and community stalls linking the catch to culture. The timing could not have been better: the 2025 season started with healthy landings and a celebratory mood.

A big thank you to Grant Leeworthy for the photos

What made Newlyn special?

First, provenance. Cornish sardines are both Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) (EU)-protected (“Cornish Sardines”) and a certified fishery—powerful cues for shoppers who want local, traceable, and responsibly sourced seafood. About fifteen small boats, typically three crew each, fish close to shore with purse-seine nets during a July–January season, landing into Newlyn, Mevagissey and Plymouth. That scale and method keep quality high and bycatch low.

Second, transparency. Skipper-led talks and the chance to step onto working boats shrink the distance between plate and port. That kind of supply-chain intimacy builds trust faster than any label can—though the labels matter, too.

Third, context. Scientists brief the fleet each year on stock trends via the PELTIC acoustic surveys; industry updates note Cornish catches are only a small fraction of the estimated Area VII biomass (roughly ~3%), a reassuring benchmark for consumers who worry about overfishing headlines.

How does it compare with other sardine festivals?

Portugal goes big and nightly. Lisbon’s month-long June Street fiestas (Santos Populares) and Portimão’s Festival da Sardinha each August are the global yardsticks: smoky grills lining historic lanes or riverfronts, music until late, and sardines served “no pão” (in bread) for pocket-friendly prices. Portimão 2025 ran 5–10 August with free entry and headline concerts—scale that turns a fish into a city identity.

Northern Spain keeps it rooted. In Candás (Asturias), the Festival de la Sardina (1 August) folds into the San Félix fiestas: traditional dress, promenade grilling, and sea-shanty spontaneity. It is less about headliner acts, more about heritage—quite similar in spirit to Cornwall’s community-first tone.

Cornwall’s differentiator is the blend of eco-assurance with direct fleet access. Portugal’s festivals win on sheer scale and nightlife, while Asturias leans into tradition; Newlyn’s niche is supply-chain transparency you can board.

In Australia Jim Mendolia was known as ‘the sardine man’ and he started the Fremantle Sardine Festival to get people to try his favourite fish, the Fremantle Sardine. Jim was the harvester, the processor, and the marketing man. The festival was a summertime international food and wine festival held on the Esplanade's grassy areas. Fremantle has a strong ethnic base; its large groups of different nationalities give the place a strong cultural atmosphere to celebrate. With plenty of entertainment, and of course the main attraction, the opportunity to taste freshly caught sardines from the waters off Fremantle. This festival was eventually rolled into an overall Seafood Festival.

Following the WA experience Australia’s largest sardine fishery in South Australia got active so you can experience the best of the Eyre Peninsula’s world-class seafood at Upwelling, a one-of-a-kind dining event at SALT Festival focussing on all seafood from the area including sardines.

Set against the stunning Port Lincoln coast, Upwelling is a celebration of the region’s rich seafood industry, sustainable practices, and culinary excellence.

What is the consumer takeaway?

1. Buy with confidence—look for the marks and if you do not see them ask your retailer/fishmonger. Sardines are very sustainable and well managed. In the UK shops or on menus should promote the Cornish “PGI” tell you the fish came from a verifiably responsible, local fishery in season. These labels are not just logos; they represent audits, surveys, and real fishermen’s practices.
2. Embrace seasonality. Cornwall’s July–January window means peak freshness through autumn; Portugal’s grill-fest season mirrors local availability too. Eating with the season supports fishing communities and usually gets you better taste and value.

In Australia main harvest starts early spring and the stocks are right across southern Australia from Western Australia to Queensland. The largest harvest is in South Australian where currently 94% of the harvest is used as a high-quality feed in tuna ranching operations located off Port Lincoln, South Australia. The remaining 6% of the catch is supplies a growing human consumption demand, as well as a recreational fishing bait market and premium brands of pet food. A new Tasmanian fishery is under review – the SCA will support this if more fish heads to consumers and the industry backs itself with marketing and promotion.

3. Keep it simple in the kitchen. The festival dishes that always win—salt, flame, and lemon and herbs—translate perfectly at home. If you see “Cornish sardines” at the counter, ask for cleaning and try them on the BBQ or under the grill for 3–4 minutes a side.
4. Sardines are a nutrition lay-up. High in omega-3s, protein, calcium (when you eat the small bones), and vitamin D, they suit health-driven households and budget cooks alike. (Pair with wholegrain bread and a sharp salad and you’ve reverse-engineered Lisbon.)

Cornwall’s festival nails the modern seafood brief: local boats, audited sustainability, open doors to the fleet, and food you can copy at home. Against Portugal’s blockbuster sardine parties and Spain’s heritage-heavy gatherings, Newlyn holds its own by turning a delicious evening out into an education in how responsible fisheries work and why that should matter to every shopper with a grill pan.

Newlyn turned the late-August Sea breeze into aroma and song at the inaugural Cornish Sardine Festival, a harbourside showcase of fresh fish, skipper stories, and simple cooking that let sardines speak for themselves. Think grill smoke curling over the quay, tours aboard local purse-seiners like Lyonesse and Inter-Nos, and community stalls linking the catch to culture. The timing could not have been better: the 2025 season started with healthy landings and a celebratory mood.

A big thank you to Grant Leeworthy for the photos

A simple recipe to try at home: Cornish Sardines on Toast (if you cannot get fresh sardines then use canned and some imagination)

Ingredients(serves 2):

• 6 fresh Cornish sardines, cleaned and butterflied
• 2 slices of rustic sourdough bread
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1 lemon
• Fresh parsley

Method:

• Heat a grill pan or barbecue until hot.
• Brush sardines lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill for 3–4 minutes on each side, until skin is crisp.
• Toast the bread, drizzle with olive oil, and lay sardines on top.
• Finish with a squeeze of lemon and chopped parsley.

Quick, healthy, and delicious—the essence of the Cornish Sardine Festival brought home.

Final word

The first Cornwall Sardine Festival proved that a small fish could make a big impact. For consumers, it offered reassurance about sustainability, inspiration for cooking, and a tangible link between fishing communities and the dinner table.

When we celebrate seafood like this—openly, proudly, and responsibly—we do not just enjoy a meal. We invest in a future where healthy oceans, thriving communities, and informed consumers all swim in the same direction.