Message from the Fishermans Mission

The Fishermen’s Mission Since 1881 the Fishermen’s Mission (also known as the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen) has been providing vital services for both active and retired fishermen and their families.

We can provide an emergency response, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, for fishermen injured or taken ill at sea. We offer this service to all fishermen on UK fishing boats around the whole of the UK coastline. The rescue services and the coastguard have our emergency contact number. They will call us and we will meet the boat and the fishermen as they arrive and provide any assistance we can.

In the event of an emergency at sea we may be able to provide overnight accommodation, assist with hospital visits and liaise with the family. We may also be able to help with travel costs home or for family to visit. Each situation is compassionately dealt with on an individual basis. We have a presence in the major fishing harbours around the UK coastline. This is an ideal opportunity to touch base with the local port staff in the area and to keep their contact details. A full list of Fishermen’s Mission Port Staff can be found by looking on our website www.fishermensmission.org.uk.

We offer practical and financial assistance to help fishermen and their families through the ups and downs of a life at sea. We understand the fishing and we have experience of how difficult life can be. In extreme circumstances we may provide financial help with rent, food and heating bills, keeping home and hearth together. We are also able to signpost to, and assist with applying for, longer term support from other agencies. Again, each case is dealt with on an individual basis. There are no long complicated forms to fill in. We will simply have a chat and our experienced Port Staff will advise how we might be able to help. You may need to provide evidence that you are or have been a UK commercial fisherman or that you are from a fisherman’s family.

We have many partners who work with us and so we are able to refer to organisations such as Seafarer’s Advice and Information Line (SAIL) for assistance with claiming benefits and managing debt, referral to the Seamen’s Hospital Society Dreadnought Unit, a specialist medical facility for seafarers and assist with applying for longer term grants, including for support for dependent children and educational support. We will try to find a solution to most issues so it is always worth getting in touch.

We are here to help active and retired fishermen and their families. We can visit those who are isolated and lonely. We can also support the bereaved and help both financially and practically with funeral costs and arrangements. Our Port Staff are also able to officiate at funerals of those connected with fishing if that is requested.

Sometimes talking through the issues can really help. We are happy to simply be there to listen when times are tough. We don’t make judgements. We have Port Staff that cover the whole of the UK coastline and we are on hand to help in any way we can. During the past year we helped fishermen access £1.5m in emergency financial support and made nearly 10,000 home or hospital visits. Unfortunately, we are only able to help UK fishermen or fishermen working on UK boats. We are not able to provide funds for fishing equipment, boat repairs or to pay for mandatory training.

We are the only national charity that works solely to provide support to fishermen and their families.

to visit the website click on the Fishermans Mission banner at the top of this article or

freephone 0800634 1020

or mobile
07884 188323

or contact by email [email protected]

or visit the website click here

The Fishermans mission has asked FAFB to let fishermen in the UK know how to get in touch

Findafishingboat recently received this message

Please help us by encouraging any fishermen, active or retired, who might need assistance can contact us here at the Fishermen's Mission? We are always seeking ways to let fishermen know we are always here to help them.

If you think you would like to speak to someone from the Fishermen’s Mission then you can call our Freephone 0800 634 1020, email [email protected]
or [visit our website] (http://www.fishermensmission.org.uk) to find your nearest Fishermen’s Mission Port Staff