My Fishing Life

The sea has captivated people ever since humans first set sail on it; its beauty, its force, the mysteries it holds. For the few who make their living from it, trying to understand it, to second guess its ever-changing moods, creates an addiction to salt water that keeps us coming back. My Fishing Life documents the reality of that life, alongside skipper Nigel. There are journeys around the UK coastline to bring our commercial fishing boats home, and the day to day drama that is life for any fisherman, arguably the most dangerous of any peacetime profession. It's about days swept up in tides and elements, about strength of mind and body, of old ways and new struggles. But this is also a love-letter to the people of our fishing industry. The colourful, weather-beaten, and idiosyncratic characters who have dedicated their lives to catching seafood, just as Nige and I do. It's from them and their stories that I learned respect for their skill and courage, and began to understand how the actions of the past have shaped the fragile fishing industry we have today. With the marine environment shifting - politically and culturally, and as a result of climate change - this book lifts the lid on what it's like to be one of the country's very few female fishermen, and also do justice to an iconic industry that, while it feeds and impacts almost all of us, remains one of our most mysterious and misunderstood.