“The only thing constant about fishing is change itself. One can only adapt and overcome,” Captain Jack proclaims. ‘Guide Them’ is a short documentary that tells the human story behind the rampant decline of the Scottish fishing industry and what it can tell us about the true essence of being a fisherman. Mr. Alistair Roberts and Scott ‘Captain Jack’ Barbour, two seasoned sea captains, tell the hardships of inshore fishing in Scotland as we follow the boat named ‘Guide them’, performing routine fishing work. The sea, being cruel and unpredictable, is compared to the turbulent Scottish aquaculture and fishing industry.
Despite making up a small percentage of the UK economy, the fishing industry is an essential source of employment for coastal communities. Scotland, being a country uniquely reliant on the fishing industry, is home to a large portion of the UK fishing fleet and sea laborers. However, due to a series of poor post-Brexit arrangements, structural issues and overall neglect, the fishing industry in Scotland is undergoing a steady decline, and with it, its coastal communities.
UK fisheries contribute about £426 million to the UK GDP, which is less than half a percent. Although UK fisheries are not a major source of revenue nationally, they are key source of employment for small coastal communities. This is especially prevalent in Scotland, which contributes up to 60% of the economic output of the UK fishing and aquaculture industry. Though Scotland is only 8% of the UK population, Scottish fisheries are disproportionately represented in the UK fishing and aquaculture industry. According to a recent report, there were an estimated 2,919 jobs on board UK vessels in Scotland, from a total of 5,986 jobs nationwide.
Because fisheries generate large amounts of employment for coastal communities in Scotland, most operations are self-employed, and are conducted on 10m vessels. In the recent turbulent years, these coastal communities that mostly rely on local fishing and aquaculture employment have been suffering substantially, especially when considering the recent developments of the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. Scotland is uniquely tied to the aquaculture industry – for many young people living in tight-knit coastal communities, the Scottish aquaculture industry is one of the only sources of employment.
When a nation largely relies on an industry that is actively being undermined by structural problems and natural catastrophes such as the COVID 19 pandemic, the unemployed youth migrate from their communities, exponentially escalating the issue.
Simply put, the problem gets worse every day.
Director’s Note
“Guide Them” was a journey I started during my master’s programme at the University of Edinburgh. It explores topics that reveal uncomfortable truths about the rapid modernisation of society and how it negatively impacts vital industrial communities. The film also presents a way in which we can connect back to our truest passions, highlighting the importance of social cohesion and generational transfer of wisdom.
Guide Them, now at the end of its short-format adaptation, is currently being distributed worldwide. A longer-version is currently under development. Stay tuned to find out more!
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