DUNURE fisherman want to see more opportunities for young people to have a career in the industry.

They feel young boys are less likely to work as a local fisherman and are more likely to join a larger company to make a living.

They raised their concerns with the Clyde Fisherman’s Association whose purpose is to protect the way of life centred on family fishing businesses supporting small communities.

Robert McCutcheon, a fisherman at Dunure, said: “I started when I was about 10, and worked during the Christmas holidays, Easter holidays and summer holidays every year.”

“Young men cannot get a start now. Unless your dad has got a boat and a license you have no chance. That’s human nature. 

“If it was like that now, I would never have got a start. 
“We had to get as much money as we could and built our first boat in Girvan in 1967. 

“The salesmen put money in, the nobles of Girvan put money in the boat and we paid them all back within three years.”

Another issue raised is the size of the fishing boats which are too big for Dunure Harbour meaning there are less opportunities to work in the industry.

Jim McCrindle explained: “My father was a fisherman and my brother and I decided to buy a trawler. I was about 27 or 28 and we fished on that.

“In Dunure itself there was a maximum of 26 boats, about 30ft. There were about four or five guys in every boat. It was a major employer.

“But as the boats increased in size, the harbour here is tidal, that was the main exodus and the boats began being based in Ayr and Troon.”

But there is still hope that more young people can make a living working as a local fisherman and putting money into the Ayrshire economy.

Robert Gibson added: “We used to have all the boys when I started but most of them have left the fishing and they are away working on tugs, barges, the oil industry all around the world.

“But some young guys are interested in it, you don’t know all of them are like that, a lot of young boys are into it and want to give fishing a chance. 

“They can see there is a possibility of moving up the line a wee bit, taking watches and showing them how to work with gear. There is good money to be made at it if you can be bothered.

“And that is making folk interested. If you can be bothered making money you make a good life from it. 

“When Robert said he was told when he started that fishing was finished, he got a full career out of it.

“There can still be hundreds of people who make a career out of it. It’s not an easy lifestyle, it’s a way of life.”