Young Fishers Share Real-Life Challenges and Joys of the Industry in New Podcast Series

Cornwall to Shetland: A Fresh Look at Fishing’s Next Generation

A new podcast series, Young Fishers, delves into the lives of young fishers from Cornwall to Scotland, highlighting the rewards and challenges faced by the next generation in the fishing industry. Produced by Cornwall-based Miracle Theatre, the four-part series features voices from across the UK, showcasing the perspectives of fishers as young as 13, as well as experienced skippers in their twenties and thirties. The series will launch at a special event hosted by Miracle Theatre and the Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation’s Young Fishermen Network on 29 November at the Fisherman’s Arms pub in Newlyn.

Voices from the Coastlines

Young Fishers brings together stories from around the UK, including 13-year-old Antony Newcombe from Cawsand, Cornwall, who catches lobster and crab and has built up a steady customer base and a following online. Other Cornish fishers like Jonny Pascoe, who works out of Mullion Cove, will also be featured. Jonny highlights fishing as a “universal language,” explaining that regardless of location, fishers share a bond through their passion and the challenges they face.

“My motivation to join the podcast was that it’s great to see people interested in what young fishermen around the UK are doing,” Jonny shared. “It’s also a chance for other young fishermen to hear what their peers are going through, how they’re adapting, and maybe find inspiration in the ways we all cope and succeed. I really enjoyed being part of it, especially listening to Erin in Scotland, who’s in my episode.”

On the other end of the country, listeners will hear from Tom Robertson, a skipper from Lerwick, Shetland, while other Scottish voices like Erin MacKenzie from Mallaig add their own experiences to the series. These stories, according to producer Hannah Stephens, reveal a youthful drive to overcome the demands of fishing, with participants actively promoting the positive and profitable sides of the industry.

A Drive for Recruitment

Matilda Phillips, a Cornish fishing family member and coordinator of the Young Fishermen Network, travels around Cornwall to promote fishing and attract new recruits to the industry. She sees the podcast as an opportunity to bring more young people into fishing: “A massive aim of the network is recruitment – finding more crew, finding more young people who want to go fishing, shining a positive light on the fishing industry and opening people’s eyes to what fishing is like and how much fun it is.”

Launch Event Details

The Young Fishers podcast will officially launch during the Newlyn event on 29 November, with participants linked in person and via screen. The event is free to attend, though attendees need to reserve a place in advance. Those interested can book via this link.

Episodes will be available to stream live during the launch and afterward on www.miracletheatre.co.uk.