12 | Bluff fisher Pat Nyhon is one of a number of FirstMate Navigators around the country. FISHERIES SECTOR Talley’s Limited “We’re always trying to prove that we’re doing a good job and fishing responsibly. But despite this, fishers aren’t always believed and the pressure of trying to please everyone can just snowball.” FirstMate ‘essential service’ – skipper Kim Newth FV Cressy, Pay Nyhon’s inshore vessel, heading past the Stirling Point Light, Bluff. FirstMate New Zealand is a charitable trust providing one-one-one support when it’s needed most for hardworking people across the commercial seafood sector. Run by people who understand what it means to be part of New Zealand’s dynamic and challenging seafood sector, the FirstMate team aims to support people and businesses to better navigate the pressures and complexities that come with the job and rise to any potential challenges. The charitable trust can connect people to experts when needed – whether it’s for physical and mental health, business and finance or technical advice. Bluff fisher Pat Nyhon is one of a number of FirstMate Navigators around the country, ready to provide a friendly ear and offer guidance as needed. Like other FirstMate Navigators, Pat has many years of experience living and working in the seafood sector. He first started fishing in 1987, crewing on inshore trawl, crayfish and oyster boats out of Bluff. After gaining his skipper’s licence, he worked his way up to owning two trawlers of his own – the FV Antares and FV Cressy – and still regularly goes out trawling on the FV Cressy. As well as being a FirstMate Navigator, Pat is the southern liaison officer for the New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen. Pat describes FirstMate as “an essential service” because while fishers typically love their jobs, it can sometimes feel like the odds are stacked against them. “We’re always trying to prove that we’re doing a good job and fishing responsibly,” Pat says. “But despite this, fishers aren’t always believed and the pressure of trying to please everyone can just snowball.” For skippers and owner-operators wanting help on alleviating the pressure on their crew, Pat recommends not only First Mate but also online health, safety and well-being courses like MarineSAFE. Pat puts new crew through the courses and did them himself to pick up a few new tips. Another decision Pat has made to support the well-being of his crew is a ‘dry boat’ policy, meaning that the crew wait until the end of their trip to wind down together with a beer. Pat says that this helps ensure that things run smoothly and safely on a trip. There is no doubt that Pat is one of the industry’s survivors, whose big investment in a state-of-the-art boat – the FV Cressy – paid off by enabling him to fish both deepsea and inshore, and to keep building his quota. Early in his career at sea, Pat was taught that presentation is everything and he continues to stand by this advice today. “Fish should look good, be clean and nicely iced, because you never know who is going to be standing on the wharf looking down while you’re unloading your catch.” Pat has invested heavily in the Cressy, all towards a sustainable catch. For example, catch sensors and net monitors mean he can see what’s going into the nets and knows when the cod end is starting to fill, so the net can be brought up before it’s overfull and fish are at risk of damage. He says many others in the industry are being proactive too and that he’s seen a big shift in attitudes over the years with fishers now more likely to hold each other to account. Need to talk? Call 0800 237 438 between 7am and 10pm any day to speak to a member of the FirstMate team, who will put you in touch with the best Navigator for you – or you can reach out directly to a Navigator in your region. FirstMate Navigators have access to a database of local and national experts who can help with all aspects of the seafood industry and can connect you with the right services.
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