A BIDDING war for limited fish stocks marked the opening of Brixham's new multi-million pound fish market.

It was a doubly historic day for the port yesterday when record prices were paid for fish during the first auction at the new market.

Fearless Brixham skipper Antony Shine netted a top price for Dover sole after his trawler Angel Emiel was one of only a handful to brave the enduring gales at sea.

His bumper catch, caught off Start Point, fetched double its usual price with buyers paying £21 per kilo for the sole.

"It's fantastic," Antony said.

"We've had record prices because no boats have been out.

"We managed to get out and stay out and at one time we were the only boat out.

"It's mostly all our fish being sold here today. We've got 130 boxes caught over two days.

"This is the only fish being sold in the South West as there is practically none in Plymouth and none in Newlyn.

"They're fighting for the fish today which is what we want.

"Because of the inflated prices it's being sold for I hope to make £15,000, whereas normally I would make £11,000 for a catch this size."

Auctioneer Barry Young zipped through the bidding at high speed and was delighted with the prices paid.

As well as the Dover sole, he successfully auctioned crates of John Dory, brill, bass, dabs, sand soles, bream, lemon sole, skate wings, squid, scallops, turbot, cuttlefish and octopus.

He said: "It went very well, we got top prices for the Dover sole, the best we've ever had.

"We've made fantastic money today. It was a historic occasion for Brixham, we've never made this much before.

"With it being a new market and with the weather the way it is, if we had five or six beamers there we wouldn't have made that price.

"We advised the Angel Emiel to hold off selling until today and it has paid dividends for them, which they deserve going out in that weather."

Although the new fish market is now open for business, only one section of it has been built.

By September 2010 the completed market will be triple the size it is now.

Barry said: "It was great in the new market. There was a little bit more echo but that will get better when we have a little bit more fish in there.

"We are keeping the prime fish for the new market. The cuttlefish will be sold from the old fridge room and the day boats will sell their catch at the old market.

"We've got to make do with what we've got at the moment but it's going to be brilliant when the new market is fully open — I can't wait, it's been a very long time coming.

"We've had lots of problems with bits and pieces but now it's all solved and hopefully in 12 months it should be up and running fully."

The Angel Emiel left the port again yesterday and Antony is looking forward to selling his next catch at the new market

"It's is fantastic," he said.

"At the moment it's a little bit small and cramped but when they've finished knocking down the old fish market and linked it through to this bit it will be great.

"It is horrendous going out in the rough weather but we will be going out again today as the run up to Christmas is our good time of year."