Seafarers in the fishing fleets
It's not just that fishermen work harder, longer and in tougher conditions than anyone else: fishing is now officially the most dangerous occupation in the UK.
The figures are shocking: 114 fishermen were killed or seriously injured last year. 370 accidents were reported. 28 vessels were lost. The men and women of our fishing fleets risk their lives and their health every day, far from friends and loved ones. They do exhausting work in dreadful conditions, fighting the sea to bring in food that we all rely on.
If you work on the sea, you can't stop when the weather gets a bit nasty, or when the swell becomes a 30ft rollercoaster and the deck too slippery to stand The life of a fishermen has always been a dangerous and lonely one, from the Scottish line fisher baiting hooks at four in the morning to the trawlerman wrestling with heavy plant in lashing rain. It is getting harder than ever now. The fishing industry faces massive upheavals: brutal reductions to the fleet, reorganisation, regulation, declining yields, widespread unemployment and the traumatic effect of all this on family, friendship and community.
Seafarers UK looks after all the UK's seafarers, including our fishermen and their families and communities. We give grants to projects that help people to find new jobs, learn new skills or come to terms with bereavement, injury, unemployment or retirement. Britain's fishermen need - and deserve - our support and yours. Please consider giving a little of your time or money to help them.