Ally West

Location: Fraserburgh 

Job: Co-skipper 

Vessel: Resolute 

Ally West represents the fourth generation of fishermen in his family, following a legacy that stretches back to his great-grandfather George. For 25 years, he has worked in an industry that is, as he puts it, "everything" to coastal communities like Fraserburgh.

Born into a family with two pelagic boats, Ally grew up at a time when his father George and uncle David spent around eight to nine months a year at sea. Communication was limited to listening to the wireless at certain times of day, and waiting for that distinctive whistle that meant his father was calling. 

Ally left school at 15 and went to sea at 16 in the summer of 2000. His first trip was a shock to the system - it was hard graft hauling purse nets up to six times a day. But he adapted, and by 2008, in his early twenties, he earned his skipper's licence. Today, he co-skippers the 69.8 metre Resolute, a pelagic vessel, alongside his first cousin Matthew West.

"Going from two boats to one wasn't a decision made quickly," Ally admits, "but it was the right one. Building boats is so expensive now, we'd never have managed to continue with two."

The job satisfaction remains immense. "Watching fish coming onboard provides a lot of job satisfaction. Not just for Matthew and I as skippers, but for the crew as well. Running a pelagic vessel requires good teamwork and when everyone pulls together and we are on our way in with a good shot aboard, there’s a great sense of achievement.”

Technology and quality have transformed the industry since Ally started. "From when I first started to now, quality is everything with your product," he says. 

The Resolute features a two-step gearbox that saves 30% of fuel. Sonar technology has also increased dramatically to enable skippers to see fish that are up to 4000 metres away, and shore-side operations have accelerated dramatically - 1,000 to 1,200 tonnes can now be processed in a day compared to 300 tonnes when he began. 

Last year, Ally spent just nine weeks at sea compared to eight months in his first year, demonstrating the efficiency gains that have reduced the pelagic industry's carbon footprint.

But Ally has serious concerns for the future. Coastal states are pressuring the UK government for greater access to British waters. "Britain's an island and we have a huge amount of sea and a very productive one," he says. "But we need a government on our side – one that wants to see the fishing industry progress, rather than a bargaining chip."

Wind energy development troubles him most. "The government is so obsessed with net zero and wind energy that it is almost trying to fast forward to get it done but they’re not thinking fully of the consequences it will have on the fishing industry." 

He points to spawning grounds and vital fishing areas at risk. "You can have wind energy as long as it makes sense and doesn't affect other industries."

For Ally, the stakes are clear: "For coastal communities, especially up in this area, fishing is everything. If Fraserburgh didn’t have a fishing industry, it would be a ghost town. It employs so many people ashore as well as offshore. It's part of Britain's heritage. If they don't look after it and they don't fight for the industry, eventually it'll disappear. And once you lose knowledge, it'll never come back."