Ask not the price of fish, it is measured in men’s lives

 

This hauntingly beautiful statue overlooks the harbour in Alesundon, the white-fish capital of Norway, and commemorates the widows and families of 33 local fishermen who lost their lives when seven open boats sank in a severe north-westerly gale off the coast 13 August 1885.

 

 

La Croix des Veuves (the Widows’ Cross) is near Poubazlanac, overlooking the ocean in northern Brittany. This cross is placed where wives and families waited for the return of their loved ones from long, dangerous fishing trips in the deep, cold waters of the North Atlantic during the late 18th and 19th century

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 14 October, 1881, a tempest hit the north east cost of England. Outside Eyemouth, in southern Scotland, 45 fishing boats were trying to return into safe harbour when they were caught in this storm; only 19 finally beached safely. A horrific 189 lives were lost leaving  93 women widows and 267 children without their fathers. This particular memorial was dedicated in 2007, on the 126th anniversary of what is generally regarded as Britain’s worst ever fishing disaster.

 

With thanks to Walter Baxter for permission to use this photograph

 

Memorials like this are found in fishing communities all over the world.

 

 

There’s another beside the old Seafish offices in Hull, in memory of over 5,000 fishermen who lost their lives in the deep, cold North Atlantic from the 1840′s until the Cod Wars 130 years later.

 

Today, these same well-stocked waters are protected by 200-mile territorial limits, making them the home grounds for Fasfa members based in Iceland, Norway, Russia and the Faroe Isles.

It is why the call of the sea will always be answered by brave men and women, and why the true price of wild fish must bring a fair reward to those who risk so much to bring it safely to market.

Ask not the price of fish, it is measured in men’s lives

 

Fasfa supports The Royal National mission to Deep Sea Fishermen as the UK charity preferred by  Fish & Chip shops and those closely involved with the supply of wild fish. For more information about The Mission, please click on this link.