"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." George W. Bush Saginaw, Michigan, 29 September, 2000
Sustainable fishing from a sail powered fishing boat, a converted cruiser recycled before it reaches landfill - this is just the kind of project that attracts huge amounts of funds from the EU fisheries people and from the government who are trying to reduce carbon use.
Whoops! Fell off my chair!
When it comes to grants, it seems we are in a loophole. A boat that is under 10 metres and powered only by sail doesn't need a license to fish commercially. So I don't have a license. My boat is not registered. Somehow, I am not a 'proper' fisherman, and funds are more elusive than fish.
The Seafish organisation are doing research on fuel use and fishing:
' With the soaring price of fuel having a serious impact on the viability of the fishing fleet, a whole raft of measures to reduce fuel costs are currently being investigated, including the use of bio fuels, re-engining or improving the efficiency of fishing gear. Heavy fuel oil is another option open to certain vessels. ...'
No mention of sails! I hope they don't conclude heavy fuel oil is the way to go. You might have the impression that all the sea air us fishermen breathe all day long would be good for us, but soot from ships fills the air in the English Channel. According to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, burning heavy oils is a real health hazard. I hope the committee passes on its findings to Seafish!
DEFRA is also paying out grants to fishermen. (It's true, even though the link marked 'Grants available to the fishing industry in England' on that page is broken at the moment!) Anyway, they pay out to proper fishermen, who have engines. Grants for scrapping boats, fitting more efficient engines, trying fishing methods that need less fuel. You'd think Fish for the Future would qualify for every grant they're offering. I spoke to them, twice, to confirm that I don't qualify for a single penny.
Asking for advise on seeking grants for my project from Dr Jason Hall-Spencer, of Plymouth University, he answered:
'Sounds like a good idea to me although I’m sorry I don’t know of anyone who funds such sensible trials.'Ah well, my research into testing the feasibility of a sail powered fishing boat remains untarnished by the lure of grant money. It is funded entirely by my own money, only a little of which has been repaid by fish sales so far. Still, an essential ingredient of fishing is optimism.