People, Place and Fish
People, Place and Fish portray the inshore fishing activities that take place in the four countries bordering the southern North Sea and the English Channel: France, Belgium, England, and the Netherlands.
In depicting some of the fishing practices in ten selected areas, it aims to reveal the richness and diversity of commercial fishing in these ports and communities.
Fishers go about their business in often dangerous conditions and difficult economic circumstances. Their activities have profound importance for coastal towns and villages and provide a range of social and cultural values and benefits.
Fishing provides livelihoods for those involved in the industry but is also important for the contribution it makes to heritage and identity. Despite the shared hardships, for many a deep love of the sea and of the profession makes fishing much more than just a job; it becomes a way of life.
This photo essay is a poignant reminder of an industry struggling to survive against a backdrop of strict regulation and quota restrictions. Yet inshore fishing can offer opportunities for sustainable coastal development by linking people to place through local fish and seafood.
Regardless of all its current challenges, this historic profession continues to play a significant role in the character and distinctiveness of coastal communities, for the benefit of residents and tourists alike.
People, Place and Fish is part of a broader project called the Geography of Inshore Fishing and Sustainability (GIFS). The purpose of GIFS is to highlight the importance of inshore fishing for fishers and the towns, villages and cities where they live.
GIFS is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund Interreg IVa 2 Seas programme and is led by the University of Greenwich, London.