Another press release lands on my desk and I am once again staggered to see the amount of money that universities seem able to be extract from funders. Can you see anything in the following which suggests either that they know anything about the subject or that they are actually going to do something practical? Oh yes,'Plans include photographic exhibitions exploring life in fishing communities and a demonstration project of fishing heritage-led regeneration at the fishing village of Arnemuiden, in The Netherlands.’
Geography of Inshore Fishing and Sustainability
Researchers at the University of Greenwich are leading a €4.6 million INTEREGG 4a 2 Seas Programme three-year project helping to regenerate coastal fishing communities on both sides of the English Channel and the southern North Sea.
Focussing on towns and villages with traditional small scale fishing fleets, they will look at the ways local inshore fishing contributes to the identity of places and their communities, as well as seeking new sustainable opportunities to boost regeneration and economic growth.
Sounds good so far.
Dr X says: “Inshore marine fishing is at the heart of so many places, whether they have just a few small fishing boats pulled up on a shingle beach or a harbour that is the centre of activity for a larger fishing fleet. You cannot think about places like Whitstable, Brixham or Newlyn without recalling fishing and local seafood. Inshore marine fishing is central to their identity as communities and places.” Let's ignore, for a moment the fact that Newlyn houses rather more than a 'traditional fishing fleet'.
Project leader Dr Y says: “We will be building on valuable research we have already been doing in fishing communities. Working with researchers in France and Flanders gives us a cross-cultural perspective and opportunities to share ideas and solutions to common problems – not least how the sense of identity within fishing communities can make a significant contribution to regeneration and sustainable economic growth.
"Our findings will help to provide the information people need to develop new activities on the ground to regenerate their communities and feed into policy decisions which will ensure a sustainable future. We are hoping to help to create a sense of shared identity in fishing places across the region.” I am not sure you could teach an East Coast fisherman anything about 'shared identity' with a fisherman from the Netherlands. Is a 'shared identity' something that can be created in this way? And it helps how?
Plans include photographic exhibitions exploring life in fishing communities and a demonstration project of fishing heritage-led regeneration at the fishing village of Arnemuiden, in The Netherlands.
At this level of expenditure I would be hoping for rather more than a 'demonstration project' (what is this and why only one when it is a cross-border project?) and a photographic exhibition. Anyone who is following Monty Halls' exploits in Cadgwith will, I am sure, feel that the fishermen there will be delighted to know about photographic exhibition and the amount of money it has cost. They might, however, prefer a new boat which could be paid for from this bid's petty cash.
