Fisher memorial to honour those lost at sea
A group of WA fishers have joined with WAFIC to begin the planning and development of a memorial commemorating fishing lives lost at sea.
While still in its early days, a working group has been formed to start the process and will now bring together a committee of researchers, historians and passionate industry members to collate the stories of those lost, as well as design and build a memorial commemorating those who didn’t come home.
Working group chairman, Arno Verboon said the initial concept is to create a digital memorial that can be accessed online, as well as landmark locations along the coast that people can visit.
“It is envisaged this process will help bring together our industry through the telling of stories as we immortalise the names of the brave women and men who have lost their lives serving and helping to build our regional communities.
“The development of a digital memorial is a great way to share the stories of those lost, as well as some of the amazing tales of survival, like the fisher who was rescued after floating for days on an upturned esky. It will also be a place where the community can learn more about the commercial fishing industry.
“We are not jumping straight into a memorial design or a specific location as this will become more obvious as we collate the content and the stories. Right now we are looking for local people with knowledge, history and a passion to share our stories,” Arno said.
If you have a tale to tell, or if you are interested in being involved in this project please contact James Paratore at [email protected] or on 0402 845 345; Fedele Camarda at [email protected] or on 0429 041 578; or WAFIC at [email protected].