From the ebb and flow of ancestral traditions to the challenges posed by wind turbines and the shifting job landscape, transformations are shaping not just the industry, but the course of every fisherman's life.
In the past, residents of fishing communities seldom interacted with those from the countryside, reinforcing the profound familial traditions embedded in each community. The majority of men in these villages lived a life oscillating between home and the sea, drawing parallels to the current culture in Aberdeen, where men balance their time between home and the offshore oil rigs. While men ventured off to sea, women played a crucial role in managing the industry on land, undertaking physically demanding tasks such as gathering bait, mending nets, and trading creels of dried fish for essential farm goods.This heritage remains deeply ingrained in North East culture, but modern societal changes have significantly impacted the stability of these communities in terms of finances, routines, and overall well-being. Alan West, a seasoned fisherman, openly shares insights into these changes, reflecting on his experiences from fishing as a young boy to pursuing an independent fishing career today. Amidst moral dilemmas, two main changes stand out. Firstly, with over 5000 people now employed in the fishing sector in the Grampian area, accounting for 39.5% of all Scottish fishing jobs, the challenges have shifted from oil rigs to wind turbines. The colossal footprint of wind turbines is disrupting fishing potential, creating new challenges for the industry. Secondly, as people migrate, businesses capitalize on the opportunity to lower wages and employ individuals from outside the local communities, leading to tensions in these once close-knit villages. There is conflict in the understanding that those migrating into these job roles are hard-working and fantastically skilled, yet colleagues in power are taking advantage of this. Reflecting on these changes, Alan sits in turmoil with the current state of the fishing industry, acknowledging the difficulty of entering it unless born into it. His two sons, fortunate enough to inherit the skills, now fish on their terms, treating it as a hobby rather than facing the challenges of an industry in flux. This shift has not only changed the nature of the work but has also altered the sense of reward and connection to heritage that was once integral to the fishing way of life.
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