Tag Archives: Fraserburgh
Owners and skipper fined after trawler gas death in Fraserburgh
The owners and skipper of a fishing trawler have been fined following the death of a man who was overcome by gas on board. William Ironside, 52, was one of five men who fell ill on the Sunbeam in Fraserburgh in August 2018. At Peterhead Sheriff Court the owners, Sunbeam Limited, were fined £220,000 while skipper James Duthie was ordered to pay £7,500. Duthie, 66, was also sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work. In October 2018 the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said it was a “tragic accident” which nearly resulted in multiple fatalities. >>click to read<< 14:52
Fraserburgh’s Latest Prawn Catcher
Built by Parkol Marine Engineering, this new 25 metre LOA by 8 metre breadth Daystar is a metre longer than the trawler it replaces – which is now fishing for new owners and is still working from Fraserburgh. The Daystar name goes back to the first to carry the name, an 18.50 metre trawler built at Macduff for Stephen West and his partners. Like it predecessor, the new trawler is an SC MacAllister design, and has a striking colour scheme and some very sleek lines, thanks to the raised whaleback section and raised bulwarks along each side with the handrails only about 600mm high on top of this. This contributes to crew safety when working on top of the shelterdeck. Photos,>click to read< 17:46
A New Twin-Rigger for Fraserburgh Brothers
The 22.20 metre, 7.50 metre beam F/V Day Dawn replaces the 19 metre F/V Challenger that skipper Chaz Bruce and his brother Martin had been working since it was built at the same yard in 2010. Still in Fraserburgh, F/V Challenger is now F/V Harvest Moon. The brothers chose the Day Dawn name for their newbuild in memory of their father, as this was the name of his boat when they both started at sea with him. ‘The boat performed well, it was very quiet, generally really impressed and everything seems to have worked out well, very pleased with the new boat,’ Chaz Bruce said after bringing in the new trawler home from Whitby to take on the Faithlie Trawls fishing gear and Thyborøn trawl doors to carry out the first fishing trials. Photos, >click to read< 12:46
Setting sail on a fishing voyage of discovery
Matty and Ally, who are cousins, alternate between who is lead skipper for each trip, and this time around Matty, 41, was in charge. “When possible, we prefer to shoot the trawl when it is daylight, as the mackerel tend to shoal closer together during the day, and it is also safer for the crew,” he said. As the flickering light of dawn gradually took hold over a grey-ruffled sea, the 10 other crew members scrambled down to the lower stern deck to prepare the trawl for shooting. It is a complicated task; shackles were attached here and there, ropes prepared, and the tail-end of the net was hauled up from the winch by a specially designed crane, before being hung over the stern. >click to read< 10:09
Former Challenger Becomes Becomes New Harvest Moon
Skipper James Third and his son AJ Third have bought the twin-rig prawn trawler Challenger FR 90, renaming her Harvest Moon FR 366. The vessel was built in 2010 by Parkol Marine Engineering to an SC McAllister design for Martin and Chaz Bruce and their late father Alistair Bruce of Fuimus LLP of Fraserburgh. The vessel has main dimensions of 19m LOA, beam 7m and 4.24 moulded depth, and a Caterpillar C32 main engine. >click to read< 13:03
Biggest trawler to date built at Parkol Marine is launched in Whitby
Onlookers assembled aloing the riverside in the autumn sunshine to see the 27m twin rig trawler Valhalla being launched into the water. The vessel, made at Parkol, will be fishing out of Fraserburgh, Scotland, with a crew.of eight. Michael Smith commented on Parkol’s Facebook page: “Some boat her, well done Parkol and good fishing to the skipper and crew.” >photo’s, click here< 22:31
Macduff Shipyards completes first new build pair trawl order in more than 30 years
Macduff Shipyards has handed over two new fishing vessels Faithful (FR 129) and the Crystal River (FR 178) to their respective owners Stewart Buchan and David Cardno of Fraserburgh. These boats operate exclusively as a pair trawl team fishing out of their home port, and have the distinction of being the yards first new build pair trawl order in more than 30 years. The previous vessels were the wooden hulled Solitaire and Sonia Jane built in the 1980s. >click to read< 12:22
Fishing Industry Urges Prime Minister To Support Industry After Brexit Fiasco
Scottish fisheries leaders have urged the Prime Minister to help them build back the industry after the bad Brexit deal, which left skippers battling for fishing opportunities while EU vessels continued to have full access to UK waters. At a business meeting in Fraserburgh, they asked Boris Johnson for action not words on improving prospects for the fleet in five years’ time when the arrangements are due to be revised. In the meantime, Mike Park, chief executive of the Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association, pressed Mr Johnson to order an independent review of the “flawed” science behind proposed quota cuts from ICES to key species such as cod for 2022. ‘As well as the lack of fishing opportunities, the industry is facing a spatial squeeze as offshore wind grows. >click to read< 10:33
MAIB Report – Flooding and sinking of Fishing Trawler Ocean Quest
On 18 August 2019 and about 70 miles north-east of Fraserburgh, the UK registered trawler, Ocean Quest, sank as a result of an engine room flood. The source of the flood has not been determined; however, it was almost certainly a result of shell plating or hull weld failure. The crew tackled the flood with fixed and portable pumps, but were not able to get the situation under control. The alarm was raised as soon as the flood was discovered, the crew were well prepared for the abandonment and all were rescued safely by a coastguard helicopter. >click to read< 12:32
Scotland: North-east fishermen start selling direct to find new markets in lockdown
Fishermen across the north-east have resorted to selling catches directly off the boat instead of markets to try to make ends meet during the coronavirus lockdown. Orders from restaurants and hotels have plummeted,,,Instead, crews have turned to advertising catches on social media to drum up trade online among local residents to fill up the order book. Macduff-based Salt Water Seafood has been coordinating landings in the town’s harbour as well as from five vessels operating out of Peterhead and Fraserburgh. >click to read< 12:35
Life at sea: Battling the elements for a good living
The last time they went out on a four-day fishing trip they made £30,000, and estimate they will lost out on roughly £5,000 because of the weather. “If you were to go out of the harbour just now and your engine were to conk out – you wouldn’t see next week,” skipper John Clark said. “Only two boats were in the fish market today and demand was very good. Boxes were going for £300 – that’s why we want to get back out again. “But with our job, the weather dictates our fishing time.” Video, photos, >click to read< 09:01
