Apologies for keeping the blog quiet for a while - after a short break I spent three days on the south-western tip of Cornwall, photographing handline fishermen. The south west handline fishermen work one of the few sustainable fisheries recognised and certified in the UK - their small coastal fishing has proved to be not harmful to fish stocks and is thus one of the few positive stories you can find today on humans living off their environment.
I managed to get a ride with handline fisherman Will Treneer on his open boat the Cornish Rose. At Will's young age of 19, he is a tough, experienced and enthusiastic Cornish fisherman who hopes for nothing more than to keep earning a living off the sea in the way that his father and generations before him have done. His home, Newlyn, is a small, quiet fishing town on the Cornish coast and fishermen are feeling the squeeze of rising fuel prices, depleted fish stocks and a nonsensical EU quota system that prevents them from landing certain fish caught as bycatch.
Despite all these worrisome issues, our trip was positive, as we were lucky on several fronts: the weather gods were on our side, and so were the fishermen: good access, great views, beautiful morning light and a rather long and cold day on a small boat all added to the flavour, and here's some of the pictures I've come back with...
pics are looking good, how can i get hold a few prints? please could you leave me now, thanks. from Will Treneer.... the one in the photos!
ReplyDeletewill.t_jb@hotmail.co.uk