Cromer in north Norfolk, which hosted the Walkers Are Welcome towns annual get-together last October, has a proud fishing industry. Cromer crab and lobster are great delicacies. As I walked around the town in the interstices of the conference, I was struck by the rich fishing-heritage.
Heritage trail
I also witnessed a fishing boat being launched by a tractor.
Launched by a tractor
The life of crab and lobster fishermen is tough, they work long hours during the season with a 3 am start. The costs of the licence and the boat are considerable and it is a hard life. It’s not surprising that there are far fewer fishermen nowadays.
Eighth generation
An article in the North Norfolk News last August quotes John Lee, eighth-generation fisherman who has been fishing for 40 years. He says that when he started work there were almost 50 crab fishermen in Cromer, now there are only ten regulars. The catch is affected by long winters such as the last one, and is at the mercy of sea temperature: a drop in temperature causes the crabs to become sedentary on the sea bed.
It is amazing that, with a 90-100 hour working week during the season, John Lee finds time to be a North Norfolk District Councillor. He came to our get-together to welcome us.
North Norfolk District Councillor John Lee addresses our get together
Later I passed his shop.
John Lee’s crabs
The chalk beds off the Cromer coast make it an especially good habitat for crustaceans. The beds are protected as a recently-designated Marine Conservation Zone. They comprise one of the longest chalk reefs in the world.
Walking destination
It was a memorable visit with much more to learn than there was time for. With a declining fishing industry the town is sensibly promoting itself as a walking destination with a fascinating heritage, geology and natural history to discover.
CampaignerKate 