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From the Archives - Floating Fishermen 1977
That was the beginning of one of the most comprehensive studies on clothing and safety equipment for Fishermen, from huge Stern Trawlers to Rowing Boats, conducted by Alan Simpson, seen in the photograph struggling with nets on a thankfully quiet sea. The initial prototypes were produced reasonably quickly, the fishermen demanded a traditional "Bib and Brace" design that could be worn together for foul weather, or the top discarded for warmer weather. The material had to stand up to the normal workload on a trawler or other fishing boat. That is where the destructive power of Fish Juices were discovered. The trials were innovative in many aspects, and the second photograph shows the demonstrations in a London swimming pool before the leaders of the UK and Irish fishing industry, and scientists and officials from the UK Government. Although a technological success the Trawler Owners seeing declining profits and increasing cost decided to rely on less expensive clothing, and more monitoring of crew working to prevent being swept overboard. |
The request from the Irish Fisheries Board, and the EU was quite simple, "Design a working garment for Fishermen that kept them afloat if they fell overboard"