# The fishing industry. 1970/4



## david freeman (Jan 26, 2006)

I worked for a period of time within the greater UK Fishing Industry. I was intrigued by the organisation, especially for the deep sea fleets out of Hull, Grimsby and Fleetwood, and Granton.
The local fishing vessel owners in these ports had federations of owners, and a mutual insurance company covering in total for each fishing vessel owned, for total insurance on the greater Lloyds of London Market,
Each vessel had to comply with the Merchant shipping regs and the safety surveys for fire, navigation, and life saving were undertaken by the then Dept of Trade and Industry marine surveyors: The vessels were built to class for fishing vessel rules, I was only aware of Lloyds Classification (some with ice strengthening) .
The owners within the ports (at least in HUll) owned and developed the ice factory, the fish oil factory, and then many of the larger owners had shares in the fish market companies, and the transport of fish by road (the refrigerated road transport companies) to the retail, and wholesale UK and European Markets.
Among all these investments by the owners, was the building of fishing vessels and factory ships, the employment and training of crews .
At this time was the period of the cod wars and involvement with the royal navy, and the mother ship protection schemes, after the 'Rodregies'' and the other two trawlers that sank in 69-70 off Iceland. Plus the 'boggie man'' in the white sea- the Russians, and the encroachment of the Japanese deepsea fishing factory ships.
The industry in its day was a highly organised machine and while it served the owners well, it did in my opinion provide a well balance industry, well controlled, and was hard work but an experience well worthy of support.


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## david freeman (Jan 26, 2006)

did in fact some of the factory ships/stern trawlwrs and crews, after the 'Cod Wars' go off New Zealand and Australia fishing, sending some of the frozen catch back to europe and the \uk for sale in the fish markets? Again some of the fishing companies I beleieve went into the offshore oil and gas industry, providing support, as survey vessels.


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