Fish Fighters making the news on Scottish TV!
Celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has boarded a Peterhead vessel in bid to calm the storm with angry skippers who claim his TV show misrepresented them.
In March, STV revealed that Hugh’s Fish Fight production company, KEO Films, were listening to the skippers who had launched an alternative campaign online called The Real Fish Fight.
Budding Rose skipper Peter Bruce voiced concerns that the series did not differentiate between the healthy north-east sector and troubled markets elsewhere in the UK.
On Wednesday, Hugh joined the crew in Lerwick on the last leg of their fishing trip from Shetland back to the Buchan port, to begin filming a follow-up series of his programme.
The River Cottage star said: "I wanted to come up here and see how the fishermen have been working with the catchment quota system and how they have been reducing discards.
"While we have been fishing we have seen plenty of haddock and cod, which will be landed as Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish. We have also had some very interesting conversations about the situation here in the North Sea.
"I would love to see a thriving fishing sector up here, it is not all doom and gloom in the North Sea. We have always supported Scottish haddock and Peter and I share lots of the same hopes for the future."
Before joining forces, Peter - who has an MSC certificate of sustainability for his haddock - said Hugh’s programme was "scaremongering" and that the chef had been "motivated by raising his profile and bank balance".
Hugh added: "It was difficult coming up here after some of the comments made but I knew that if I came and spoke face-to-face that we would find some common ground. In the heat of what was a well-charged debate things were said, but now we have thrashed it out and it has been a great process.
"I have been in the galley sampling some fantastic Cullen skink, made by the resident Budding Rose chef, Richard, which has been a real highlight for me."
The Budding Rose recently landed 30 tonnes of cod in a single net in Peterhead
The Real Fish Fight SOF (Support Our Fishermen) has been promoting sustainability and encouraging people to eat more fresh, local fish. They also argued that "there are plenty of fish in the sea".
The fishermen claim that cod stocks in the North Atlantic have reached their highest levels for almost 20 years and ships such as the Budding Rose require only a relatively short time at sea to fill their holds.
Since launching their Facebook page, over 5000 people have signed up to support their campaign.
Peter said: "Hugh got in contact after STV contacted him a few months ago. Since then I have had several visits from some of his guys. I knew that he would have to come away with me if he was to understand what we do, especially the measures we have put in place with conservation and discards.
"I want to show him how different the North Seas are from other areas. I’m really encouraged that he has come out and I hope that he will portray the work we do accurately. We want to take this positive step forward and instil the right perception of our work.
"It was a big move for me as the skippers involved in setting up the campaign against him have a sense of distrust about both him and the programme. But I’m glad he was willing to come and let me change his mind and open his eyes."
A recent haul of cod from Peter Bruce's boat - the Budding Rose
Peterhead is the UK’s largest white fish and pelagic (mackerel and herring) port and runs an onsite fish market from Monday to Friday.
The fishing fleet at Peterhead has fallen from 120 vessels in the 1990s to only 30 at present. In February, The Budding Rose hauled her largest ever catch of cod - 30 tonnes in a single net.
Previously, Hugh heaped praise on campaign leader Peter, calling him a "top skipper" and someone who could "lead the UK fishing industry".
Peter added: "Fishermen haven't been given any credit for their efforts, and there is no evidence to suggest that by banning fishing in certain areas that fish numbers will increase, or that this will be the best way to conserve."
The fishing industry was dealt a heavy blow when, earlier this year, the Marine Conservation Society demoted mackerel on its list of ethical fish to eat, causing Hugh to ditch his campaign to get "mac baps" into Britain’s chippies.
North Sea fishermen met with green groups WWF, Marine Scotland and fisheries scientists to find a solution to the depleting stocks and have brought in nets with larger mesh sizes to allow younger fish to escape.
Courtesy of the STV web site.
Courtesy of the STV web site.