Episode notes
What I Wish People Knew About Commercial Fishing
When you hear “commercial fishing”, what do you picture?
For many people, the image is of large, industrial fishing vessels. But the UK fishing industry is much more diverse than that. Different boats, gears, fisheries, species and fishing practices can have very different impacts and treating commercial fishing as one single thing can make it harder to recognise and support the lower-impact fishing we want to see more of.
In this episode of An Ocean Warrior, marine biologist and commercial fisheries consultant Becki Jarvis explores why it matters. She talks about the way commercial fishing is discussed in public conversations, and why she believes we need to talk not only about the fishing we don’t want to see, but also about the fishing we do.
It’s a conversation about nuance, different types of fishing, and how we can better recognise and support progress towards lower-impact and more sustainable fisheries in the UK.
Becki works directly with fishermen and has spent years working across marine science, fisheries and marine enforcement in Cornwall. An Ocean Warrior exists to share some of the realities, experiences and conversations she encounters through that work.