Opened in 2002, Whitby Fishing School’s main purpose was to train young persons via a Sea Fishing Apprenticeship so that they could join the UK fleet to implement crews as older crew members retired from fishing.

We have been successful! The apprenticeship has changed over the years, and so have the intentions of Whitby Fishing School. We now regularly train over 500 new entrants/experienced fishermen each year.

One main point that became apparent is the lack of ‘joined-up’ contact between skippers’ requirements and crews looking for work.

Hence, the Fishermens Vacancy Matching Service is being trialled. We can foresee that this tool could be a valuable one to the industry – especially if the response to the site is good.

We are funded by the Marine Management Organisation under a pilot scheme, and intend to continue this service for fishermen when the funding has finished. Whitby Fishing School is a not-for-profit organisation which strives hard to support the fishing industry.