Over the summer maritime charities Seafarers UK and Cornwall Rural Community Charity (CRCC) are working together to carry out a UK-wide project to survey fishermen, their families and fishing communities. The survey aims to understand community and individual needs and challenges better, and to identify examples of projects or activities that are working to tackle these.
UK fishing communities have been in a process of gradual decline and increasing social isolation over the last 40 years, with many suffering profound deprivation. Although there are extensive published papers on many aspects of the industry, there is little by way of a detailed understanding of the welfare need on the ground and the contemporary challenges facing fishing communities across the UK.
This collaborative project will undertake face-to-face interviews with a wide range of people to identify what clear themes and issues need support and resourcing. CRCC will be visiting ports around the UK over the coming months and is keen to identify projects or groups that they should be meeting with. Those interested in having their views captured via a personal interview – or who would like to complete a survey – should email the project team at fishing@cornwallrcc.org.uk or phone 01872 243559.
Individuals, local projects or local community representatives can also find more information on where and when the survey project team will be visiting, by searching for @FishermensVoice on Twitter or Fishermen’s Voice on Facebook. The first two locations that the project team are due to visit are Swansea on 26 June and Milford Haven on 27 June.
Peter Jefferson, CEO of CRCC, said: ‘This community based, interactive project aims to listen to fishing communities around the UK so as to gain a deeper understanding of their needs, helping to develop well grounded project ideas that will then address those needs.’
Barry Bryant, Director General of Seafarers UK, said: ‘Seafarers UK is seeking to understand better the needs of fishing communities. We instigated and funded this innovative work as part of our increasingly proactive grant making. We are very confident that we have chosen the right partner organisation to carry out this work.’
CRCC has worked extensively with fishing communities in Cornwall and currently delivers the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Fisheries Local Action Group. In addition CRCC has significant experience of delivering community led projects across the UK and at EU level.