View: Save Britain’s distant-waters fishing!

10 December 2020

 

Dear Prime Minister,   

We are the first mates of the Kirkella, pride of the UK distant-waters fishing fleet and workplace of the last British distant-waters fishermen based in Hull. We’re writing to you on their behalf. 

On Sunday, we returned from a successful two-month trip to the winter darkness of the sub-Arctic waters north of Norway, bringing home cod and haddock for Britain’s fish & chip shops.

But Kirkella is now moored in Hull, and the question on all of our minds over our Christmas break is this: will any of us have jobs in the New Year? It’s just three weeks away, and for all the assurances of your government on the importance of fishing we still have no idea.

There are about a hundred crew and other colleagues based in and around the Humber whose livelihoods – along with those of their families – are dependent on us being able to put to sea again in January. This is a close-knit community in an area of England where good jobs are hard to come by. The fear for our jobs is real, as is its impact on our families.

Can you give our crew your assurance that we will not lose our historic rights to distant-waters fishing off Norway, Greenland and the Faroes as a consequence of leaving the EU? As you must know, the Framework Fisheries Agreement with Norway does not guarantee anything like this. 

Prime Minister, our future is literally in your hands. 

Yours sincerely 

Mark McGorrin
Charlie Waddy

First Mates, Kirkella
 

Videos

Emma Hardy, Labour candidate for Hull West and Haltemprice
Jane Sandell, CEO interview
Kirkella tour
Kirkella in Hull
Kirkella on the Humber
Kirkella Port 2
Kirkella Bow 2
Kirkella Birdseye 2
Kirkella Naming Ceremony and VIP Reception
Kirkella lunch party at Cutty Sark Museum
Kirkella Great British Fish & Chips event at Greenwich
Kirkella speech by HRH The Princess Royal
Kirkella passing through Tower Bridge
Kirkella BBC News
HRH The Princess Royal names Kirkella
Kirkella cutaway animation
Sir Barney White-Spunner, UK Fisheries Ltd, Interview
Kirkella General Tour
Kirkella Factory Tour

Images

Kirkella trawling
Kirkella on Humber
Kirkella drone footage
Kirkella drone footage
Kirkella drone footage
The Kirkella Naming celebration lunch at the Cutty Sark Museum
The Fish Fryers free fish & chip event at Cutty Sark Gardens for 2,500 locals
The City of Hull Brass Band at Cutty Sark Gardens
Sir Barney White-Spunner, Chairman of the Advisory Board, UK Fisheries, at the Kirkella Naming celebration dinner at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
Kirkella sailing upstream through Tower Bridge
Kirkella sailing downstream through Tower Bridge
HRH The Princess Royal with Graham Barney, Factory Manager, Kirkella
HRH The Princess Royal with Charlie Waddy, First Mate, on the bridge of Kirkella
HRH The Princess Royal unveiling a model of Kirkella presented by UK Fisheries to the National Maritime Museum
HRH The Princess Royal Naming Kirkella at Greenwich
HRH The Princess Royal meeting Stig Maersk, Musical Director, and players in the City of Hull Brass Band
HRH The Princess Royal making her address at the Kirkella Naming Ceremony in Greenwich
2,500 local people in Greenwich enjoying free Kirkella-caught cod & chips
Sir Barney White-Spunner, Chairman of the Advisory Board, UK Fisheries Ltd
UK Fisheries infographic
Kirkella poster
Cutaway illustration of Kirkella
UK Fisheries Ltd logo