Tag Archives: England
Why it’s crucial that my generation remembers the men who were lost on the Fishing Trawler Gaul
I come from a long line of people who worked at sea. At the age of 16, my dad followed in his own dad’s footsteps. My other grandad was a ship’s welder. Growing up, when my dad was at home in his month off the ships, he would drag me anywhere and everywhere that had something to do with Hull’s maritime history: the Arctic Corsair, the Marina, The Deep. “You should’ve seen it in its prime, before the cod wars and her,” he would say. “Her” being Margaret Thatcher. One thing that I was never told about back then, understandably, was the danger of working at sea. Dad would only tell me about the glories of travelling the world and the comradery among the crew. It’s only now that I’m older and have started to look into Hull’s history for myself that that I understand why it was one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. more, >>click to read<< 06:42
Baffling mystery of tragic trawler that sank killing 36 – as heartbroken families demand answers 50 years on
The fishing trawler Gaul went missing during a fierce storm in the Barents Sea half a century ago in what remains Britain’s worst trawler disaster. The families of the missing seamen from the Hull area endured an agonizing wait for news on the morning of February 9, 1974. The fact that it took 23-years to find the trawler fuelled speculation about the disaster which claimed so many lives. The families of the victims spent years trying to establish why the trawler sank. The Gaul sank during the height of the Cold War and it was common knowledge that the security services had used trawlers to carry out spying missions in the 1960s. Video, photos, more, >>click to read<< 11:22
A report has concluded the sinking of a Cadgwith based fishing boat caused by extensive modifications
Skipper Brett Jose and crewman Callum Hardwick were rescued after an ordeal in which Mr Jose had to escape through the wheelhouse window as the 25 foot crabbed suddenly heeled over and capsized. Following the sinking in November 2022 a Crowdfunder was launched by the Cadgwith community to buy a new boat for the pair. The Crig-A-Tana had been fitted with a new wheelhouse, engine, safety kit and deck equipment with the help of Government grants but all had been approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:18
The story of the Gaul trawler tragedy, 50 years on
On January 22, 1974, the Gaul – a deep sea factory ship designed for long trips – set sail from Hull for Norwegian fishing grounds. At some time in the night of February 8-9, the trawler went down in heavy seas north of Norway, with the loss of all hands. It was later described as “the worst ever single-trawler tragedy”. At the time of the disappearance, mystery surrounded the fate of the trawler. No mayday signal had been received and it was only when the vessel failed to report in that alarm bells were raised. Stuart Russell, who was working on the Hull Daily Mail’s news desk, recalled how there was uncertainty from the outset. As with other trawler tragedies, the Mail got a crew list from the ship owners and the reporters went out to visit the relatives. more, >>click to read<< 06:26
Torbay lifeboat rescues trawler in dramatic operation off South Devon coast
Torbay RNLI received a request from Solent Coastguard to assist the trawler 18 miles south of Start Point – in force eight winds and four metre swells – whose skipper had reported water coming into his engine room. The station’s ‘Deputy Launch Authority’ on duty immediately launched the All-weather lifeboat with seven volunteer crew. The Severn Class ALB reached the trawler within 25 minutes. The RNLI had been informed sea water had reached up to the deck plates from bilges and appeared to be coming in through the propeller shafts. More water appeared when under power, but the exact source and cause could not be identified. Photos, more, >>click here<< 15:45The quintessentially British fish and chips is endangered. Why?
Ever since she was old enough to walk, Terrilea Coglan was climbing aboard fishing boats that set sail each morning from the rocky beachfront of Hastings to harvest the key ingredient in Britain’s most iconic dish: fish and chips. The day’s catch travels just a short way from the boats up to the seaside fish and chips shops, or “chippies,” that pride themselves as much in the freshness of the fish as in the secret recipes for their gooey batter. Coglan’s parents and grandparents were in the fish trade, and now her sons are, too. But these days Coglan fears they may be the last. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 07:54
Pollack fishing: Setting quota to zero ‘damaging’ to South-West industry
A decision to set the pollack catch quota to zero will be “damaging” to the fishing industry, those working in South-West England have said. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said the quota had been reduced to preserve stocks. It said it recognised the “impact” the decision “may have” and was working to “explore potential mitigations”. Ben George, who fishes from Sennen Cove in Cornwall, said he never once “dreamed it could be a total ban”. “It’s particularly damaging for the small inshore fisherman, because they can’t diversify easily now to anything else,” he said. more, >>click to read<< 06:19
What a year it’s been for historic trawler Ross Tiger!
From reopening to the public in March following vital deck works, to celebrating 30 years as a museum ship at Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre, it really has been a busy but positive time for the iconic ship. Standing proud in the Alexandra Dock, she has welcomed visitors, young and old, from far and wide, for three decades. Fishing is still seen as one of our most dangerous peacetime occupations, and today, Ross Tiger is a fitting tribute to the hard work and dedication of Grimsby’s brave fishing pioneers. Photos, Video, more, >>click to read<< 09:55
Boat engineer, 20, died after toxic spray release
A dense white cloud of spray was released from the fire-extinguishing system
A 20-year-old apprentice engineer died after inhaling toxic fire extinguisher spray in the engine room of a fishing boat in Cornwall, an investigation has found. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said Conor Moseley was on board as the fire-extinguishing system was being installed on the Resurgam, a scallop dredger, in Newlyn Harbour. The FirePro system was designed to suppress fire, but it also generated a spray which was hazardous to health when inhaled in significant quantities, a MAIB report said. The system was accidentally activated in the engine room as it was being installed. FirePro said it welcomed the MAIB report. more, >>click to read<< 08:36
Hull Gaul trawler sinking anniversary events get cash boost
Events marking the 50th anniversary of the sinking of a Hull trawler with the loss of 36 men have received funding from the city council. The Gaul went down after being caught in heavy seas in the Barents Sea off Norway on 8 February 1974. Four days of commemorations are planned for 2024, including a new mural, a dedicated Hull City football match and an education programme for children. A civic event at Hull Minster and walking tours are also planned Andrews and Docklands ward has been granted £5,000 to fund the events. >>click to read<< 11:28
Pyridine ‘unlikely’ to be cause of mass shellfish die-off on Teesside, new test finds
The latest investigation into the cause of mass creature die off along the North East coast has found an industrial chemical is unlikely to be the cause. The Government has today issued the findings of an investigation by the independent experts at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, who used a new method to test for the chemical, pyridine, in animal tissue and sediments. The original incident between October and December 2021 saw crustaceans washed ashore with dying creatures “twitching” and displaying lethargic behaviour right along the coast from Hartlepool down to Whitby. >>click to read<< 11:38
Two sisters run absolute gem of a pub in Devon fishing town
A much-loved fishermen’s pub in the heart of a Devon fishing town is still going strong as locals toast its 400 year anniversary. Erica Mundle and her sister Georgina Loasby are the brains behind the Crown and Anchor pub in Brixham. Erica, 41 and Georgina, 31 have owned the Quayside pub since December 2019 and they’re proud to say the place truly is frozen in time. Erica, who previously worked as a primary school teacher, said she feels grateful for all of its customers, a healthy mix of locals and holidaymakers who keep coming back year after year. The boozer is famed for its crab sandwiches and brandy coffee and is a great place to relax and enjoy stunning views. It has always been a pub at the heart of the fishing community and is loved by many, which is one of the main reasons Erica and Georgina decided not to change anything when they took over. Photos, >>click to read<< 09:41
Century-old Devon fishing boat sets sail after restoration
A 108-year-old fishing boat restored over a decade has set sail once more in Devon. The Britannia was relaunched at Exeter Quay earlier after it was spotted “in a bad state” by its previous owners in Brixham Harbour in 2013. Vicki Samuels and her husband Sam formed a charity and have been restoring the boat with a team of volunteers ever since. Mrs Samuels said she was “really emotional” and had “a few tears”. Now returned to its former glory, the restoration has also been a learning experience for the young people who volunteered to help, Mrs Samuels said. Photos, >>click to read<< 18:52
Brixham fisherman can’t trade on quay
A Brixham fisherman has described his ‘David and Goliath’ battle to sell his catch on the quayside as post-covid law changes leave him high and dry, Tristan Northway, whose boat Adela is the smallest and oldest in the Brixham fleet, was able to bring fresh fish to the quay as byelaws were relaxed during the pandemic. But now the regulations are back into force and he is driving thousands of motorway miles to sell his catch instead of selling it locally. Mr Northway presented a 763-signature petition to the council at its full meeting, calling for a review of existing byelaws to allow him and other small-scale fishermen in Torbay harbours to sell their catch directly from their boats. >>click to read<< 17:21
David Proud honoured for 30 years with Falmouth RNLI
A coastguard turned lifeboat crew member who has helped save many lives over 30 years has been honoured for his long service. Falmouth RNLI volunteer David Proud was recently presented with an RNLI long service medal in recognition of his three decades of service at the station. The medal was presented to him by Falmouth RNLI coxswain Jonathon Blakeston. David’s involvement with search and rescue actually goes back even further, as he joined the Coastguard service in Falmouth in January 1977. This was when it was located in the old lookout, a small square building at Pendennis Point, before the current Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre was built. >click to read< 08:40
Skinningrove’s fishing boat restored after years on beach
A fishing boat which became a “local landmark” on a beach for almost two decades has been restored. The Repus Cole was displayed on Skinningrove Beach in 2005 after being saved from destruction. It had belonged to fisherman Wilbur Cox, who died in the 1980s, and became a memorial to those lost at sea. Redcar and Cleveland Council said it would continue to “proudly stand” on the beach for future generations. The boat had originally been stored at South Gare before it was brought back to the village for display. It was eventually displayed opposite the home of Mr Cox’s daughter, Marie, who said she was “delighted” the boat had been brought “back to life”. >click to read< 10:10
Sadness as historic Sussex fishing boat is demolished
The RX 134 Stacey Marie, was on display opposite the Dolphin pub in Rock-a-Nore Road, in Hastings Old Town, close to the fishing beach. Dee Day White, who along with Tush Hamilton, was involved in clearing the site, said: “In case you are wondering what has happened to the fishing boat opposite the Dolphin here is the explanation. After recent inspections of her by various carpenters, tradesmen and fishermen the conclusion was the same. “She unfortunately was rotting very badly from the inside out to the extent that the deck was moving under the weight of the wheelhouse pushing down through the deck timbers making her unsafe and dangerous. 19 photos, >click to read< 10:43
Tribute to unstinting Hull fishing heritage and museum volunteer Trevor Evans following his death
A Hull man who dedicated decades of his life to maintaining Hull’s fishing heritage for the benefit of future generations has died. Trevor Evans was the longest-serving volunteer aboard the Arctic Corsair, a floating museum set inside the country’s last working deep-sea sidewinder trawler. Mr Evans helped pack away one of the most symbolic items of the vessel, the ship’s bell, ahead of the Arctic Corsair’s relocation to a temporary berth, before it eventually takes centre stage in the North End Shipyard, creating a new visitor attraction for Hull. “Recently, Trevor was part of a group advising us on the future visitor experience at North End Shipyard, the new home for the Arctic Corsair. He will be greatly missed, and our condolences go to his family and friends.” >Photos, >click to read< 12:30
Emotional tribute to Devon fishermen lost at sea
A service has been held in a Devon fishing port to remember the lives of fishermen lost at sea. The tribute in Brixham, organised by the charity Fishermen’s Mission, saw the names of those who have died in Devon waters read out to ensure they are not forgotten. The charity collated a list of 158 names dating back to the Great Gale of Brixham in 1866. The names will be added to a memorial book to be kept at All Saints Church. Helen Lovell-Smith, from the charity, said she began collating names after a conversation with a grieving mother. >click to read< 08:15
Devon fishermen’s names to be read in memorial roll call
A memorial service for fishermen lost at sea will see the names of those who have died read out for the first time. Among those remembered will be Lewis Mulhearn, who died after being injured when a World War Two bomb exploded underneath his boat. Sunday’s service has been organised by the Fishermen’s Mission. Family and friends of fishermen with a Devon connection who died are invited to add their loved one’s name. The names will be added to a memorial book to be kept at All Saints Church. Lewis Mulhearn died on 21 January, more than two years after the explosion of the wartime device while he was fishing off the Norfolk coast. >click to read< 08:49
Dungeness RNLI mourns the devastating loss of much-loved Coxswain Stuart Adams
Stuart was the backbone of the RNLI station at Dungeness, providing leadership and true friendship to all the volunteers that worked with him. He guided the volunteers through huge changes throughout his years at the charity, where he lived and breathed ‘Saving Lives at Sea’. Stuart initially joined the RNLI as a volunteer in 1978 alongside his fellow fishermen in Dungeness. He was a keen fisherman from a young age and started commercial fishing as a full-time occupation after school, 
which is where he was introduced to the RNLI. In 2000, 22 years after joining as a volunteer, Stuart became full time Coxswain of Dungeness Lifeboat, where he dedicated his life fully to the role. Stuart was a confidante, a father figure, a calming influence and a figure of stability where no person felt unsafe going to sea under his command. He was highly respected by all that knew him, as well as being full of good humour. He actively ensured that the volunteers felt able to learn and was completely selfless in all of his endeavours. Photos, >click to read< 08:52
Suffolk and Essex fish industry revitalized by selling at Brixham
Fishermen on the Suffolk and Essex coast have begun selling their catches to a market 350 miles away and said the move has been “a game changer”. Brixham market in Devon now regularly collects fish from the east coast and sells it through its online auction. Those involved said it revitalised the fortunes of an industry whose expansion hopes were dashed after Brexit. But critics fear its success will make it harder for Lowestoft to set up its own fishing hub. Three times a week a lorry from the Brixham Fish Market visits a refrigerated lock-up at Southwold harbour in Suffolk.”It’s been a game changer for all of us,” said Fran French from Mersea Fishermen’s Association on the Essex coast. Photos, >click to read< 08:25
Gripes in Grimsby over Brexit fishing failure
Grimsby, perched on the southern side of the River Humber, near Kingston-upon-Hull in northern England, was built on the fishing industry. Some 70 percent of people in the town voted for Brexit, hoping that the UK’s departure from the European Union would boost its flagging fortunes. But seven years on from the landmark referendum, those who banked on a turnaround are disappointed, while those who feared it are not taking it lying down. At 7:00 am, the auction at Grimsby’s wholesale fish market in the heart of the town’s vast docks is in full swing. “We have mackerel. 1.5 (pounds) a kilo? 1.7? 1.8? 1.9?” shouts the auctioneer. >click to read< 08:27
Female Fisherman Ashely Mullenger sees following boom after award
Norfolk’s ‘Female Fisherman’ has seen her social media following boom as she continues to bang the drum for British seafood since winning a national award one year ago. Ashley Mullenger, 36, was crowned ‘Fisherman of the Year’ in the Fishing News Awards last May – the first time ever a woman had won the title. Mrs Mullenger, who is based in Wells-next-the-Sea, said the flurry of media attention that has followed – including an appearance on Jeremy Vine’s Radio Two show – has given her the chance to promote British seafood. “The award has opened doors of opportunities for me,” she said. photos, >click to read< 10:47
Illegal Cornwall clam fishermen put public health and honest fishermen’s livelihood at risk for greed
A group of fishermen who illegally fished for high value razor clams by electrocuting them have put the livelihood of honest fishermen at risk, damaged the environment and endangered consumers’ health for greed, a judge said. Luke Anderson, 44, of St. Margarets–at-Cliffe in Kent, Steven Corcoran, 46, from Motherwell in Scotland, Marc Drew, 50, from Mousehole, Graeme Etheridge, 61, of Paul in Cornwall, Jake Richardson, 26, of Bedminster in Dorset, David Thomasson, 52, from Bodmin, Ross Waters, 47, of St Buryan, and Simon Tester, 52, from Canterbury in Kent, were all employed by boat owner David Turner (from Kent) – who is to be sentenced for illegal fishing offences in September. >click to read< 14:40
Hook, Line, and Sinker: How Brexit betrayed the UK fishing industry
Retired fisherman Charlie Waddy, former first mate of the Kirkella, knows what’s at stake on the ocean. His close friend died while working on deck beside him; his father was lost at sea returning from Iceland and Norway when Waddy, the youngest of seven children, was just three years old. But for the desperate hand of a nearby crewmate, Waddy himself nearly went overboard, his chances of survival slim in the frigid and pulsating waters below. Believing evocative memories of trawlers departing for distant seas might be reclaimed, Waddy voted for Brexit. He said he now felt betrayed by politicians who extoled the benefits of leaving the EU but then failed to deliver. “I wish I never,” he sighed. “They told us everything that we wanted to hear.” Photos, > click to read< 08:30
Hero skipper who saved his crew when their boat was blown up killed himself after his rescue left him suffering with PTSD
A heroic fisherman who saved his crew when his boat was blown up by an unexploded Second World War bomb killed himself after suffering from PTSD, an inquest has heard. Lewis Mulhearn, 39, was horrifically injured by the blast as his vessel sailed over a German-made Luftwaffe bomb on the seabed in the North Sea. A crab pot being dragged by the fishing vessel disturbed the deadly 290lb device, triggering a huge underwater explosion that threw the 42ft boat Galwad-Y-Mor into the air. The blast left Mr Mulhearn with head injuries, three broken vertebrae, a broken sternum, knee damage, a broken orbital bone and multiple facial lacerations. Photos, >click to read< 11:06
Fisherman John ‘Jack’ Hale, of Lowestoft,102, has passed away
Born John Federick, the respected fisherman only ever wanted to sail and he became the proud owner of a boat aged just 10. An independent soul, he would go on to run a successful business in Lowestoft which would see him work alongside both his son and grandsons. He was also proud to have broken an inshore fishing record in October 1968 with a herring catch in his boat the Seafarer. “He also fished with his son, Mike, who fished with him from about the age of 12, and they went on to own boats together. “It became a real family business when two of his grandsons began their working lives fishing with them.” Photos, >click to read< 10:32
‘A’ is for Algrie, end of a fishing era.
A piece of fishing history left through the gaps this week on her way to be scrapped in Ghent, Belgium – the Algrie was the very first trawler purchased by the Stevenson family fishing firm to enter the harbour in 1976 and start was to become the the largest privately owned beam trawl fishing fleet in Europe. In 1982, the 70ft Algrie found her beam trawls attached to the nuclear attack sub HMS Spartan in the waters off Land’s End in 1982 and towed her for quite some time before the sub surfaced. Legend has it that, at first, the Navy via the coastguard, denied there was a submarine in the area! Video, Lots of photos, >click to read< 12:48
Fishing group’s list of over 100 reports of incidents and concerns since 2021 marine die-offs
Since October 2021, fishermen have been battling for the region’s ecosystem after swathes of dead crabs, lobsters, and shellfish washed up on beaches. Environmentalists and fishermen fought for answers – with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs eventually launching a probe.While the initial Defra report said an algal bloom was the most likely cause, further investigations found that a “novel pathogen” was most likely to blame. Independent marine and university experts as well as the fishermen believed dredging on the Tees unearthed historical toxins leading to the mass die off – but this has also been ruled out by the authorities. Incident reports listed by the NEFC, and what a sad list it is, >click to read< 21:34
