Annan Harbour Action Group have secured Heritage Lottery funding for Ebb and Flow; The Fisheries of Annan, which will chronicle and preserve the experiences and challenges of making a living from the Solway Firth.
Harbour development officer Alan Thomson said: “Fishing locally has all but disappeared yet fish processing remains Annan’s largest source of employment.
“There is a lot to discover about our fishing heritage and we are all excited about bringing the stories to a wider audience and sharing our history.”
The Heritage Lottery money comes via its Stories, Stones and Bones grant, with the project forming part of Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.
An introductory meeting takes place at Annan Museum on June 27 from 7 pm to8pm, and everyone is welcome to attend—including people with stories to tell, people interested in local and social history and those with a connection to all parts of the fishing industry in years gone by.
These will include salmon stake nets, poke nets, haaf nets and whammell boats, shrimp boats and shrimp pickers. And the project will also cover the early years of Scottish Seafoods/Youngs and the beginnings of Pinneys.
Training will be offered to people interested in collecting the stories of older family members, and talented writers will be on board—along with conservators to digitise old photographs.
It is hoped the project will allow an older generation to pass on accounts to a younger generation, withaspecific bid to see young people participate.
Annan Harbour Action Group chairman Councillor Richard Brodie said: “It is really important that the story of Annan’s fishing heritage is preserved for future generations.”
It is envisaged the project will result in exhibition materials and publications, with organisers keen to supply learning materials to schools.
Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland Lucy Casot said: “We’re delighted that, thanks to funding from the National Lottery, Ebb and Flow: The Fisheries of Annan will be opening the door to fun, learning and everlasting memories for many people as we celebrate this special year.”
