Casting a Wider Net

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BBC Radio 4 - Casting a Wider Net

The women making a living out of commercial fishing, one of the last all-male bastions.

Commercial fishing is one of the last all-male bastions in the UK. Emily Kempson meets a handful of women who have made it on board to pursue a career.

Emily Kempson grew up in Hastings, home to the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in the U.K. Her friends came from fishing families and for a long time she wanted to become a fisherman. But she never saw any women working down on the boats. She heard mutterings that it was unlucky for a woman to step aboard a boat - the industry is steeped in superstition. Drawing on its rich history and myths she sets out to find the women who have made it into the catching sector.  

Out of the 12,000 people going out to sea to fish for their living, just 18 are women. The industry is at a critical point with fuel prices rocketing and people selling up and leaving. It desperately needs to recruit. Emily meets the UK’s youngest-ever apprentice skipper, Isla Gale from the Isle of Man, and follows her as she prepares for a trip north to fish for scallops. She also meets Ashley Mullenger, from Wells-next-the-sea in Norfolk, as she’s nominated for a prestigious fishing news award, and she steps on board Verity Winser’s boat as she describes how sexism and superstition have impacted her life at sea.

Finding and retaining crew generally is a challenge. In the past, entrance into the industry was generational, with opportunities and knowledge passed down from father to son. As fish stock declined in the 90s and wages fell, a career in fishing began to seem less desirable. The average age of a fisherman in England is now 50. The UK must encourage a new generation of entrants. Will those women who are keen to join the sector be welcomed in the years to come?

Produced by Sarah Cuddon 
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio Four

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