Fishing Industry

The history of Brixham goes back over 1000 years and its role as a fishing port is mentioned in the Doomsday Book.

By medieval times the port had strong trade in drying fish and curing pilchards, which has been recorded as taking place in 1500.

By the middle of the 19th century, Brixham was said to have the biggest fleet in England.  The arrival of the railway system to Brixham lead to Brixham having more than 200 registered fishing vessels just prior to the first World War.  This later declined with competition from North sea ports, resulting in the fleet being reduced to as few as 7 by 1930.

After many years of decline, the fishing industry began a significant period of growth in the mid sixties.

In 1971 a new fish jetty, office complex, fish market, and ice making plant were built with further expansion to the fish quay and new pier taking place in 1985.

Despite considerable changes and pressure on the industry as a result of National and European legislation, Brixham now ranks as one of the largest in the English league of fishing ports, based on the value of the catch landed.  This reflects the high quality of the deep sea fish caught in the Western Approaches, including, Lemon Sole, Turbot, and Plaice together with the valuable contribution now made by non quota species such as Cuttle Fish and Scallop.

The fishing industry has been at the heart of the Brixham economy for hundreds of years.  Currently being employed, are 375 full time fishermen with 2500 fishing industry dependent jobs in the Torbay travel to work area.  A great many of these jobs are in the Brixham area and would represent 26 percent of the economically active people in Brixham if all the jobs were filled by local people, based on a population of 19,600.

The catch landed at Brixham includes fish landed by local boats, other vessels and fish transported overland from other ports in the hope of receiving a good price!  In 1969 between 65-70 vessels operated out of Brixham.  By 1992 this had increase to 139, with 49 being recorded as beam trawlers and 90 day boat and crabbers.

September 1997 shows only a slight decline with 115 vessels, 45 beam trawlers, 65 day boats and 5 crabbers.  There are 26 fish processing, packing and boxing companies in Brixham.

Offices on New Fish Quay are occupied by fishing industry related companies and organisations such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Brixham Trawler Agents who operate the fish auction in Brixham Fish Market.