October 5, 2012 — The same Community Supported Fishery (CSF) initiative that has revolutionized struggling U.S. small boat fisheries could deliver a desperately needed shot in the arm to the United Kingdom’s beleaguered inshore fishermen, according to writer, explorer and TV presenter Monty Halls.
Speaking at the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) Annual General Meeting in London last week, Halls reflected on his eight-month experience creating the hit six-part BBC TV series, "The Fisherman's Apprentice with Monty Halls," which first aired on U.K. screens in February.
For the show, Halls moved to the small, traditional Cornish fishing village of Cadgwith to learn how to live and work as a small-boat fisherman. He revealed that as a marine biologist he went into the experience with the conception that all fishermen were overfishing, greedy and having a detrimental impact on the oceans. But when he left, he felt that maybe the conservationists, himself included, had got it wrong.
“Every fisherman I met was extremely hardworking and every boat I worked on wanted a sustainable way forward,” said Halls. “I felt their story was an important one to tell; they could be the last generation of fishermen — the average age of a U.K. fisherman is 49 and there isn’t another generation coming through.”
Through the show, Halls wanted to learn why the small boats are in the trouble that they are in; in his words “heading to oblivion,” particularly when the quality of the catch from thee vessels is universally agreed to be superior to that of trawled fish.