CORNWALL’S FISHER KINGS
The working seascape of Cornwall has probably changed more in the last two years than it has in the last two decades. It’s an industry deeply connected to the Cornish psyche, an archetype of the county that evokes romantic images of swarthy folk in yellow oilskins and heavy boots, with gulls idling above the wake of small yet sturdy vessels. However, the reality is somewhat different, as fishing has been in a pattern of steady decline for decades. It has an ageing workforce – the average fisherman in Cornwall is over 50 years old, and huge percentages of the catch swerve UK dining tables and go in bulk to Europe.
For years, local fleets have bobbed along facing the usual challenges of bad weather, gear damage, uncertainty of stock levels and no
