Sid Griffiths
Do you have your own boat?
Yes, she’s called Reel Easy and I usually take her out three times a week.
What do you catch?
I’m a shell fisherman by trade and for 30 years focused on crabs and lobsters. Now I just use rod and line and at the moment it’s all about sea bass - it’s the trendy fish of choice.
What’s a good day’s fishing for you?
I’m happy if I catch a crate and a half of bass, I can get between £250 and £400 a crate.
Where do you sell them?
My two main clients are Mitch Tonks for Rockfish and The Seahorse and Nigel Way for The Royal Castle.
Where are the best fish at the moment?
Recently I’ve been going near Lyme Regis. There are several old shipwrecks there where the bass play.
Do fishermen help each other?
We’re a funny breed, we would do anything for each other, a real close knit bunch of men in that way. But we lie through our teeth about where we’ve been all day!
What time do you get up on a fishing day?
3am. I live in Blackawton so by the time I’ve parked and loaded my boat it’s usually around 4am before I’m heading out. I get back around 6pm.
So you must be a morning person?
Luckily yes! You get to see the world before most people. I think Dartmouth is at its absolute best at 4am when the sun is coming up and not much is stirring - except the fishermen.
Is fishing a skill?
It really is. Whether it’s nets, pots or rod and line - you have to learn how the fish operate, what they like, where they go and how to outwit them - most of all you have to learn patience. It takes years to master the trade. It’s called fishing not catching, if it were as simple as catching everyone would do it!
Why did you decide to do it - it is, after all, one of the most dangerous jobs in Britain?
I don’t think it’s a job really - it’s a calling. Fishermen are passionate about what they do and most can’t stop doing it. I’ve woken up in some beautiful places, I’ve seen sunrises artists dream of painting. I’ve seen the very best and worst of Mother Nature and what she’s capable of. You know the dangers but try not to think about them. I’ve known 10 fishermen who’ve lost their lives. You just wake up each morning hoping it won’t be your turn.
Do you get hurt?
Yes, most weeks! I remember crab pot coiling systems where men would lose fingers - sometimes whole arms, but the equipment is a lot safer now. I’ve had my fair share of injuries, you have to treat them yourself when at sea for days on end - stitching up your own wounds! Once I knelt on a hermit crab which split my knee open, I sewed it up too tight and couldn’t bend my knee!
You used to spend a long time at sea then?
When I was young and had no commitments I would go out with shellfish crews for 10 days, 18 hours a day. You’d pull up at Cherbourg, offload your catch, have a bit of dinner, a glass of wine and head straight back onto the boat at midnight. I couldn’t do that now!
You come from a watery family don’t you?
My granddad was Dartmouth harbour master for nearly 40 years, my old man was a pilot on the river for 26. My two brothers are skippers of fishing boats. My mum used to have the pick of the sea for dinner!
We can’t not mention the tattoos! You must have over 20 - why so many?
I had my first one aged 15 and haven’t stopped, it’s an addiction. Each one has a story. I have ‘Made in Dartmouth’ on my tummy, I’ve got an image of my wife on my arm, there’s a compass - as we can’t lose our way at sea and an East India Trading Company logo as my granddad worked for them. I’m about to get a new one of the Daymark.
How often do you get called a pirate!?
A lot! I never crafted the look - it just kind of evolved. It’s a bit scary for some - I notice elderly ladies grasping their bag a bit tighter as I walk by!
So what fish do you like to see on your dish?
None - I’m allergic to all fish! If I eat it my eyes stream and my fingers go all funny.
What’s it like living in Blackawton?
It’s pretty and peaceful out here - but a long way from the sea. My wife let me build my own harbour side in the garden with boat rings, ropes and a cannon to make me feel nearer to the water!
First published in By The Dart Magazine October 2017
