Meet the Fisherman - Josh Dearing aka The Jersey Catch
When out and about on any Seafaris you are guaranteed to either spot a fisherman or one of the thousands of lobster pot markers around our shores. Josh from the Jersey Catch is one of these fisherman, Josh is also a Seafari Skipper as well as crew on the RNLI Jersey Lifeboat. We caught up with him to chat about all things fishy!
JOsh showing off a lobster from one of his pots. Seafaris regularly stop to chat to the fisherman to check out their catch.
How long have you been fishing commercially?
I have been fishing commercial for about 8 years, I started off crewing on a potting boat out of town that fished down the Minquiers and also diving off a RIB out of Bonne Nuit which we used to go all over the island on. I then brought my own RIB “Orca” with my mate and we dived for a few seasons on that before selling it and going alone. I had “Bounty” built on the IOW at cheetah marine and started potting and diving.
How did you get into fishing?
I got into fishing when one of the scallops divers needed a hand one day. Being a dive instructor it was a way of supplementing my income and then became my full time job.
What do you fish for mainly and whereabouts?
I mainly fish for lobsters along the south coast and dive for scallops all around the coasts and reefs but my favourite place to dive is Les Ecrehous.
Where do you sell most of your catch?
Most, if not all of my catch stays on island, going to top class restaurants that generally care about the food they serve. A large amount also finds its way to homes on the island which was my main aim when I started fishing. The people of Jersey care about where their food comes from and the methods of which it is caught.
How has BREXIT and COVID affected you?
Covid had a massive affect on the way we do things. The restaurants I supplied would take a lot of my catch leaving me with a small amount for private customers. But when they shut during Lockdown all my catch had to go to local families for me to be able to keep fishing. This meant I had to do a lot of home deliveries, which I really enjoy, but it takes a lot of time to prepare and I spent many hours driving around getting lost! We also had a Sunday pop up Market at the Steam Clock with a fellow fisherman. Dozens of people would come and buy our catch which was absolutely amazing and a highlight of my year.
Fishing is a dangerous profession, what is your worst experience?
Fishing is 6 times more dangerous than the most dangerous job on land I heard once. It is a dangerous job and a lot of people die in the UK each year at sea. 2 years ago I was pulled over the side of my boat when trying to sort out some pots that had crossed over mine a few miles out to sea. It was February and the sea temp was about 6-7degrees, I was fully clothed but didn’t have a life jacket on, I was alone like I am most days. I swam back to my boat and on the second attempt I managed to pull myself up the side and back onto the deck. I was in shock and very lucky none of the ropes from the pots wrapped around me as they sank under the water. 50% of fisherman that go over the side don’t make it, I guess it was my lucky day.
What is the best thing about fishing?
The best thing about fishing is the freedom. You are at sea by yourself, man vs nature!!! You don’t know what you are going to catch if anything at all. You could make thousands in a day or you could sink your boat and lose it all, it’s like a gamble! Summer days spent on any boat are just the best, but when you get to see the sun rise on a glassy day you can’t beat it.
Keep an eye out for Josh this summer either as your skipper or his yellow fishing boat! Check out his social pages on Facebook and Instagram @thejerseycatch and he has his own website too. Order a home delivery for all your fresh Jersey Catch needs!!