In 1793 the fishermen in Mullion Cove applied to Lanhydrock for permission to develop the cove as an inshore seine fishery, and by 1805 much of the pilchard catch was taken by boat to Penzance and Newlyn to be cured. In 1806 a total of 7000 hogsheads of pilchards were recorded taken from Mullion. It is likely that by this time several fish cellars had been built in Cove, putting the fishing on an economic footing. At that time, the fishing had as much connection with Predannack as it did with Mullion, and it was hoped that the new industry would encourage occupation and building at Predannack. Even the roads at that time led to and from Predannack.