The Fishing Daily Podcast – Series 5, Episode 06
The latest episode of the Fishing Daily Podcast has brought sharp debate over how the government’s £360 million Coastal and Fisheries Fund should be spent, with guests questioning whether the money could be spent in securing the next generation via a training vessel.
Andy Read, former editor of Fishing News, said headline figures often disguise slow delivery. He warned: “We’ve seen funds in the past spent on things like Victorian-style lamp posts on Bridlington Pier.
The real question is whether this fund goes to catching and processing, helping the industry stay competitive after Brexit, or if it gets eaten up by councils and big companies with staff who know how to tick the boxes.”
Podcast host Oliver McBride pressed guests on whether the fund should be front-loaded. Read argued it must be, otherwise successive ministers will drip out announcements with little real impact.
The discussion turned to the need to attract young people. Jemma Jewkes, who runs Devon Young Fishermen, said current rules block anyone under 16 from joining commercial vessels, limiting early entry. “We’re working with the MCA to try and get that age reduced to 14 for inshore boats under supervision. At the moment there’s almost nothing for under-16s, yet farming and other industries bring young people in far earlier,” she said.
Adrian Bartlett, vice-chair of Fishing Into the Future, emphasised the urgency of renewal. “The average skipper is in their fifties. We don’t get the future skippers, we stumble. We need to be in schools, in the careers rooms, showing that fishing is an alternative. Not everybody wants an office job. Some people still want to work with their hands,” he said.
The panel also explored proposals for a national training vessel, similar to those used in Norway. Read said such a boat could ease the pressure of learning at sea by allowing trainees to practise without risking a crew’s earnings. Jewkes was more cautious, warning of high costs, though she supported its value as a flagship project to raise awareness. Bartlett said any training vessel would need clear funding and management, but stressed that retired fishermen could also play a role in mentoring and outreach.
Despite different views, all agreed that the industry must act quickly to capture the attention of young people before schools and career advisers write fishing off as a dying trade.
Cover photo: Tony Fitzsimmons