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Social Issues in Sustainable Fisheries Management pp 301–317Cite as

The Socio-Cultural Impact of Industry Restructuring: Fishing Identities in Northeast Scotland

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Part of the book series: MARE Publication Series ((MARE,volume 9))

Abstract

Fishing as an occupation provides more than a way of earning a living (Pettersen 1996). Its traditions, structures and dynamics influence all aspects of the lives of individuals and households who work within and live alongside the industry. However, the fishing industry is going through a period of major restructuring driven by policy designed to rebalance the capacity of the fleet with the health of fish stocks. Although fisheries policy has begun to recognise the socio-cultural dimensions of the industry, there is little clarity over what these might be, how they can be assessed and what they may mean for fisheries policy. My research uses the concept of identity to illustrate the socio-cultural dimensions of the fishing industry, drawing on qualitative data generated through interviews with Scottish fishermen, former fishermen and their wives. My research explores how people draw upon shared symbols and understandings of the industry to construct their fishing identities. However, the changes brought about by restructuring are undermining these symbols and so present challenges to traditional constructions of identity. This leaves individuals and communities struggling to maintain positive fishing identities, questioning their future within the industry, and for some, disembedded from the fishing industry and the identities they drew from it.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The responses of the interviewees are reported in their vernacular form and several words may need translation into standard English viz: aye: yes; craic: chat (as in conversation); dinnae: do not; hae: have; haem: home; ken or ye ken: you know; mair: more; nae: not.

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Acknowledgements

An earlier version was presented at the European Society of Rural Sociology’s XXIIIrd conference held in Vaasa, Finland in August 2009. It is based on doctoral research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and undertaken at Newcastle University (Williams 2008). The content of this chapter would not have been possible without the generosity of the people who participated in the interviews and to them I express my sincere thanks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Rural Economy, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, Newcastle, UK

    Ruth Williams

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  1. Ruth Williams
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Correspondence to Ruth Williams .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The School of Science University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent, United Kingdom

    Julie Urquhart

  2. University of Greenwich The School of Science, Chatham, United Kingdom

    Tim G. Acott

  3. University of Hull Yorkshire, Hull, United Kingdom

    David Symes

  4. Greenwich Maritime Institute Office University of Greenwich, London, United Kingdom

    Minghua Zhao

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Williams, R. (2014). The Socio-Cultural Impact of Industry Restructuring: Fishing Identities in Northeast Scotland. In: Urquhart, J., Acott, T., Symes, D., Zhao, M. (eds) Social Issues in Sustainable Fisheries Management. MARE Publication Series, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7911-2_16

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