Deckhand - Fishing
Become: Deckhand - Fishing
No set qualifications are needed to start as a trainee deckhand which is the usual starting point, but entrants need to be physically fit, with good hearing and eyesight. As a deckhand, you would be part of the crew on sea-going fishing vessels. These range from small trawler with a crew of five or so to a factory ship with 20 or more. Smaller vessels are likely to work around UK coastal waters (known as the 'limited area'), whilst larger vessels may travel to open ocean fishing grounds ('unlimited area') like the North Atlantic. What would you be doing? •preparing the deck areas and fishing equipment •operating the gear that sends out the nets •bringing the nets back in with the catch •sorting, gutting and storing the fish •unloading the catch on return to the harbour •repairing damaged nets and maintaining equipment •helping to make sure the vessel is kept clean and tidy •cooking for crew members (on some vessels).
Whilst no set educational qualifications are required, appropriate training is essential and details are at: http://www.seafish.org/training/seagoing-training/fishing
About: Deckhand - Fishing
Fishing takes place all around the UK coast but the commercial fishing industry is largely based around the Scottish islands, the east coast of Scotland, and the east and south-west coasts of England. There are currently around 12,000 fishermen/women in the UK and whilst the numbers are gently decreasing in recent years, there are more vacancies than applicants. Employers range from large companies to small family businesses with just one or two people. There are around 6,400, registered fishing vessels of different types and sizes. They include inshore fishing boats, trawlers, netters, crabbers and factory ships and together land catches to the value of £717 million per year; over 60% of that is landed in Scotland with the West Country the next largest landing area.
Case Study
Name: Ben Bengey Age: 19 Job Role: Fishing Skipper Company: Self Employed Company Website: www.boatstories.co.uk Qualifications: GCSE’s Average Salary: £15000-£30000
Ben lives and breathes a life on the sea - at just 19 he has his own boat, Silver Spirit, which is licensed for both commercial fishing and passengers so when he's not out potting for lobsters and crabs (or volunteering for the RNLI) he's running fishing trips and he spends his spare time on his boat fishing with his mates for the sheer pleasure of it. He sums up his film with the words " I just want to be out on the water, every day, every hour."
Fishing really is a fickle, roller coaster business. Ben's boat cost over £70,000; he went to see it and had doubts. But small boats like the Silver Spirit with a dual commercial license (allowing him to sell fish commercially and take passengers) are extremely rare and it was essentially a no brainer. So at 17 years old, he took out a whacking loan, his father helped convince the bank - but as he says in the film "I've got to keep the boat working every day to pay it back." I was impressed by his work ethic out at all hours in all weathers. And that he was prepared to take on the huge responsibility - as he says, you're looking after the crew, watching the weather, working out where to catch fish and trying to make a living for everyone on that boat.
An inspirational young fisherman from Ilfracombe in North Devon is fast becoming the voice for the future of fishing in the UK. Ben Bengey's charm and passion for his work make him the perfect young ambassador for the industry.
Ben features in a new short film - A Life in the Day of a Young Fisherman - one episode in a ten part series of five minute documentaries on the people whose lives revolve around boats and fishing in North Devon.
Ben understands the importance of sustainability in his work and wants to share this with others. In September he took his film to London for the launch of Blue New Deal, an initiative from the New Economics Foundation (NEF) and explains "It was about UK coastal communities and the jobs and people behind it all. So I went to talk about fishing and tell people that fisherman are not as bad as the news shows and we do put things in place to stop overfishing, like the ray box and the Trevose box."
You can watch Ben's film and read more about him and his work on the Boat Stories website www.boatstories.co.uk.