Men and women in Fife, a region almost encircled by water, have made a living from the sea from the earliest times. When the industry developed in earnest in the nineteenth century, whole communities were involved in reaping the harvest of the sea.
Fife fishermen travelled far and wide in search of their catches. They were often at the forefront of innovation in boat design, fishing gear and methods. In turn, they supported a vast number of industries and people on shore who supplied boats, equipment, and services to the fleet.
Today Fife’s harbours are very different. But those who make their living from the sea have proved themselves as adaptable and resourceful as ever and fishing remains one of Fife’s key industries.
In the latest exhibition at the Scottish Fisheries Museum you can meet some of the people who have played a part in Fife’s fishing industry over the generations, hear their stories and get a taste of life on board: from Mary Jean Barclay of Cellardyke who worked as a herring gutter in Shetland into her sixties, to innovative skipper David Smith who was awarded an MBE for his contribution to technology and safety in the industry.
The exhibition is open from 4 January to 26 March 2023 and admission is included in Scottish Fisheries Museum Entry
