Twenty-five tons of mullet float in Millbay Dock in Plymouth

An estimated 25 tons of mullet have been caught in the Brunel graving-dock in Millbay. The catch is estimated to be the largest since 1913. Millbay is a natural inlet west of Plymouth Hoe, originally a sourepool or tidal salt marsh. Grey mullet is coastal species that often enters estuaries and rivers supporting saline and fresh water. It usually schools over sand or mud bottoms but here is caught in the graving-dock.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel was engaged to design Millbay docks. Brunel and Gill are also responsible for the South Devon Railway and the first railway station is built at Millbay in 1849. From the 1870s to the Second World War, Millbay became a busy commercial and landing-port. Passengers from America disembark at Plymouth Sound and travel to London via the Millbay train. On 28 April 1912 saw survivors of the RMS Titanic disembark at Millbay in secrecy before heading to Southampton. Brittany Ferries in part has owned one deep water dock since 1973 and the RNLI all weather and inshore lifeboats have owned another since 1862.