RECRUITMENT INTO FISHING CAREERS

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ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP ON ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP FISHERIES ON FISHERIES

POLICY BRIEF

RECRUITMENT INTO FISHING CAREERS POLICY BRIEF NO. 1, JUNE 2019 Photo: Seafish

OVERVIEW The fishing workforce is ageing and the industry relies on labour from abroad. There is limited understanding of the opportunities and realities of work in the catch sector among young people. Careers in fisheries are considered dirty, with limited prospects and low pay. High costs of entry and limited access to training present additional barriers. New funding schemes may overcome this. Engaging with schools will help challenge perceptions of fishing and promote it as a rewarding career to young people. The industry needs to adapt to accommodate a short-term dynamic workforce, in line with the current priorities for young job-seekers. Providing a professional environment and transferable skills may enable this.

BACKGROUND Fish stock decline between the 1970s and 1990s corresponded to a decline in wages for those in the catch sector, and a subsequent decline in

fishermen active in the UK (1,2). There is no academic research into the number of entrants needed to sustain the UK fishing industry currently available.

people working in the industry. A generation of

Ageing workforce

new fishers was lost, with many moving to other

The fishing workforce is ageing, raising questions

industries. Despite many fish stocks showing signs

about industry sustainability. The average age of a

of recovery, recruitment of young people remains

deckhand is 35, and 48 for a skipper (3). Smaller

low, leaving the catch sector with an ageing

vessels typically have the highest proportion of

workforce and risks of further labour

older workers and the average vessel owner is

shortages. Currently, there are almost 12,000

now around 50 years old (3).

This briefing summarises the output from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fisheries open Parliamentary seminar held on 7 May 2019. The meeting brought together stakeholders from across the sector and across the UK. Skippers, vessel owners, charity and advisory body representatives, academics and industry experts met to discuss recruitment challenges and ways forward. This document is a synthesis of the discussions that took place both at the event and online (via #FishingRecruitment).

www.fisheriesappg.org | secretariat@fisheriesappg.org

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