Slaves of the sea

Thirteen
years
after
the
"moratorium" which prevented
people from fishing cod in
Newfoundland, the flotilla of
trawlers fit for sea-fishing has
almost completely disappeared.
"Grande Hermine", a 65-meter
long trawler began her career in
St Pierre and Miquelon on big
shoals around 20 years ago. It
was the ultimate chapter of an
adventure which lasted for over
three centuries.
The slaves of the sea.
©Teddy Seguin/Libre arbitre/Lightmediation
Contact: Thierry Tinacci Lightmediation agency +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 [email protected]
314-09: The fishing net is coming back on bord.
314-01: Grande Hermine in Saint Malo. Seamen would currently spend 2 to 3 three months on this boat in
the Sea of Norway, above the Polar Circle.
314-02: 5am in the Bassin Vauban in St Malo. Grande Hermine is about to leave for two or three months in
the Barents Sea. We are still waiting for some people to arrive.
314-03: Temperatures have fallen below zero, the wind is blowing at more than 70 kilometres an hour, the
rain is heavy and hinders manoeuvres, but the trawler has to be back afloat whatever the weather
conditions might be.
314-04: The seamen have to remain vigilant at all times when working on the deck in bad weather. A strong
wave can easily change the course of someone's life. As the temperature in the water is not more than 2
degrees, survival time in the water is only a few minutes.
314-05: "Baader" 424, the guillotine... beheading and disembowelling the fish.
314-06: The daily six-hour break is usually exclusively devoted to sleeping, but also to some games in order
to forget about the sea. Since he left Saint Malo, Jacky has worked on a miniature model of Terre-Neuvier,
Grande Hermine's predecessor.
314-07: Fabrice, 3rd mechanics.
314-08: The fishing net is coming back on bord.
314-14:
314-09: The fishing net is coming back on bord.
314-10: Grande Hermine stopes, the wind is blowing at more than 150 kilometres an hour and the sea is
very rough.
314-11: The seamen have to remain vigilant at all times when working on the deck in bad weather. A strong
wave can easily change the course of someone's life. As the temperature in the water is not more than 2
degrees, survival time in the water is only a few minutes.
314-12: cofee break for Fifi, Fab and Jean-Pierre before going back to work in the fish factory where fresh
fish has just arrived.
314-21: Fab has been a seaman since the age of 15. He started on the shoals of Newfoundland and finds it deplorable that intensive fishing means that now it is now prohibited to fish off the coasts of
Canada.
314-13: Barent's sea
314-14:
314-15:
314-16: Pascal, Grande Hermine's Captain.
314-30: Grande Hermine stopes, the wind is blowing at more than 150 kilometres an hour and the sea is very rough.
314-17: Rene, crew's captaine.
314-18: Nicolas,the baker
314-19:
314-20:
314-32: The seamen have to remain vigilant at all times when working on the deck in bad weather. A strong wave can easily change the course of someoneÕs life. As the temperature in the water is not more
than 2 degrees, survival time in the water is only a few minutes.
314-21: Fab has been a seaman since the age of 15. He started on the shoals of Newfoundland and finds it
deplorable that intensive fishing means that now it is now prohibited to fish off the coasts of Canada.
314-22: Reparation of the fishing nets
314-23:
314-24: Temperatures have fallen below zero, the wind is blowing at more than 70 kilometres an hour, the
rain is heavy and hinders manoeuvres, but the trawler has to be back afloat whatever the weather
conditions might be.
314-41: Gérard, Caliméro and Carlos inside the net roof.
314-25:
314-26: Philippe and Calimero before coming back to work outside.
314-27: René, Crew's captaine.
314-28:
314-05: "Baader" 424, the guillotine... beheading and disembowelling the fish.
314-29: After 42 days at sea, the boat finally reaches Hammerfest, 70 39° North, the Northernmost town in
the world. It is the only stop over for the crew on board Grande Hermine. There they are able to get fresh
supplies and to refuel the ship.
314-30: Grande Hermine stopes, the wind is blowing at more than 150 kilometres an hour and the sea is
very rough.
314-31: Calimero has been hit by a wave. Fortunately, apart from a cold shower, he escapes unscathed.
314-32: The seamen have to remain vigilant at all times when working on the deck in bad weather. A strong
wave can easily change the course of someoneÕs life. As the temperature in the water is not more than 2
degrees, survival time in the water is only a few minutes.
314-33: The seamen have to remain vigilant at all times when working on the deck in bad weather. A strong
wave can easily change the course of someoneÕs life. As the temperature in the water is not more than 2
degrees, survival time in the water is only a few minutes.
314-34: The seamen have to remain vigilant at all times when working on the deck in bad weather. A strong
wave can easily change the course of someoneÕs life. As the temperature in the water is not more than 2
degrees, survival time in the water is only a few minutes.
314-35: The waves which sometimes hit the rear of the trawler are very dangerous for the seamen working
on the deck.
314-36: Reparation of the fishing nets on the deck.
314-37:
314-38:
314-39: Grande Hermine stopes, the wind is blowing at more than 150 kilometres an hour and the sea is
very rough.
314-40:
314-44: The pub in Hammerfest is the only meeting place for the guys during the stop over. There they can eat, write postcards and, in the evenings, they can have a party.
314-41: Gérard, Caliméro and Carlos inside the net roof.
314-42: It is relaxation time in front of a play-station in Max and Snoopy's berth.
314-43: Yannick, Fab et Karl in Hammerfest, the only stop during there trip.
314-44: The pub in Hammerfest is the only meeting place for the guys during the stop over. There they can
eat, write postcards and, in the evenings, they can have a party.
314-45: The pub in Hammerfest is the only meeting place for the guys during the stop over. There they can
eat, write postcards and, in the evenings, they can have a party.
314-03: Temperatures have fallen below zero, the wind is blowing at more than 70 kilometres an hour, the rain is heavy and hinders manoeuvres, but the trawler has to be back afloat whatever the weather
conditions might be.
The slaves of the sea.
Thirteen years after the "moratorium" which prevented people from
fishing cod in Newfoundland, the flotilla of trawlers fit for sea-fishing has
almost completely disappeared. "Grande Hermine", a 65-meter long
trawler began her career in St Pierre and Miquelon on big shoals
around 20 years ago. It was the ultimate chapter of an adventure which
lasted for over three centuries. The whole history of fishing in
Normandy, Brittany, the Basque Country and of course Saint Pierre et
Miquelon was built around trawler fishing and their departures for the
Newfoundland shoals. The seamen have known for a long time that
they are the last representatives of a profession which is doomed. They
usually go fishing above the polar circle, in the Barents Sea where the
Norwegian coast guards keep them under strict control. There they are
fishing, from 12 to 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, spending two to
three months on some of the most hostile seas in the world, attracted
by the "white gold" but above all passionate about a job that most of
them have been doing since they were teenagers.