The seafood industry in Fife has experienced a “catastrophe” over the last few weeks, thanks to the lingering effects of Storm Babet.
Small boats have been unable to head out for shellfish. While those that have managed to make it out have brought back dead prawns.
Fish merchant, Billy Hughes, of Pittenweem, said the situation is “worrying”.
“I was a fisherman for 25 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Billy, 61, told The Courier.
“The larger boats further up North [in Peterhead] are still able to get out, but around here, the smaller boats haven’t been able to get out.”
This means Billy hasn’t had any supply of shellfish that he sells out of his van.
“One boat that did manage to get out,” said Billy, “all he hauled out in his net was prawns that were dead.
“For the prawns and the fish, it’ll just be like they’re in a washing machine.
“For the East Neuk, the langoustines, lobsters and crabs have just been decimated. Fishermen have lost creels which have been washed away.”
‘This is different’: climate change hits the Fife fishing industry
“I sell a bit of shellfish and dressed crab, but that’s gone,” Billy continued.
“Hopefully it recovers, we’ll just have to wait and see.
“People are coming to the van wanting [to buy] shellfish.
“The majority of them do understand. But it is frustrating.
“I’ve not heard of the prawns being battered [beaten] or dead before.
“I was gutted when I heard about it. That’s not a good sign that.”
For Billy, this is a sign of an undeniable change to the climate.
Climate change can make extreme weather events more likely.
“It’s been quite a storm,” he said, I’ve seen strong winds but I’ve not seen that much destruction before.
“It is worrying. When I was at the sea, before a gale of wind, you caught a lot of fish, during it none, and after you were fine again.
“But this is different.”
There’s certainly a change on.”
Billy Hughes, Pittenweem fish merchant
Billy said recurring extreme weather caused him to give up his job as a fisherman, and become a fish merchant.
“That’s part of the reason that I sold my boat,” he told The Courier.
“Most fishermen keep a diary and generally, where you caught fish one year, you’ll try again the next year, that’s generally how it works.
“In my diary, I was beginning to see I was working in worse weather, losing more days.
“I don’t know what I think of climate change – it is happening, I’m not a denier.
“It’s the rain that is changing, that’s what I think climate change is affecting.
“You get more storms in the winter. That seems to be how it’s going.
“You will get the old guys who say ‘we’ve seen it all before’ sort of thing. But I think it’s different this time. I was one of those guys, but I’m beginning to see things I haven’t seen before.
“There’s certainly a change on.”
Pittenweem industry lost ‘tens of thousands of pounds’ but now in recovery
The fishing industry in Pittenweem consists of around 28-30 boats, both prawn boats and creel boats, according to Bobby Guthrie, manager of the Fishermen’s Mutual Association in Pittenweem.
“Most of the damage that has occurred has happened to the creel boats,” he said.
“There’s probably about 70 people involved directly on the boats. And if you look at all the fish sheds and wholesalers that are involved, there’s probably about 50 people involved in that.
“So it has affected quite a number of people.”
Bobby continued: “The boats are back at sea now this week, the creel boats have been able to get out and assess the damage.
“But there are unfortunately boats that are beyond repair. They are assessing the damage that has been done to their gear, nevermind the loss of income because they couldn’t get out to sea.
“The industry will improve, but it is just the time and expense that is involved in doing that.
“It’s a catch 22 – you can’t get out to earn more when you need to fix your gear.
“There is tens of thousands of pounds of damaged gear and loss of income.”
Fife skipper on three weeks without catch
Tommy Gordon, skipper on the prawn trawler “Twa Gordon'” said he has seen “plenty catasrophes” following on from Storm Babet.
He was unable to get out on his boat for three weeks thanks to the stormy weather.
“Guys’ creels are being wrecked, some have lost up to 500 creels,” said the 65-year-old.
“I’ve lost a hundred myself. They have just been flattened in the weather.”
This also means that Tommy, and other fishermen, were unable to earn money during this time period.
“If we don’t gross any money, we don’t get any wages,” he explained.
“We have had storms before, but this was one of the worst ones.
“It was such a long time without getting out.”
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