North-east fishing stalwart Ian Gatt has received a CBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List.
It’s hardly surprising that Mr Gatt is heavily involved in the Fishermen’s Mission which he describes as “a lifeline” for those in the industry.
After all, he has spent decades in and out of the water blazing a trail and encouraging others to make waves in a sector which has faced plenty of turbulence in recent years.
He has spent his career in this realm, originally as a skipper where he pioneered new techniques and cutting-edge technology in the large vessel whitefish sector.
Ian Gatt is totally committed to fishing
And he was at the forefront of opening new grounds on the Rockall bank, 200 miles west of the Hebrides which had never previously been worked by the Scottish fleet.
After retiring from the sea in 2010, Mr Gatt took on several influential roles and has poured his heart and soul into everything he has tackled.
He has been chief executive of the of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association for the last 14 years – a role which he continues to relish – and has been president of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation during two terms, spanning 10 years, where he has tenaciously represented the interests of SFF members from Shetland to the Borders.
There isn’t a time when the smell of the sea and the smack of the harbour hasn’t been a pervasive part of his everyday existence.
After all, Mr Gatt hails from fishing families in the village of Gardenstown on the Moray Firth. His grandmother on his mother’s side was one of the herring gutting ‘quines’, who followed the seasonal herring fishery round the country and grew accustomed to looking after her friends and family in what was a gruelling environment.
His family moved to Macduff when he was young, with Mr Gatt being educated at Banff Academy. He lived and worked in the area until 2005 when he moved to Inverurie.
‘Humbled’ at CBE in King’s Birthday Honours List
After the recipients of the King’s Birthday Honours were revealed, Mr Gatt said: “I am honoured and humbled to be awarded a CBE and I am fortunate during my career to have represented the interests of fishermen throughout Scotland.
“This award provides recognition of the importance of fishing to Scotland and the tremendous work of all its participants, both at sea and onshore.
“We must never forget that this industry provides sustainable, low carbon, healthy protein to the people of this country. And we must never forget that too many fishermen have paid the ultimate price for putting fish and shellfish on our tables.”
The mission is a national charity dedicated to supporting fishermen and their families who are navigating choppy waters or have suffered the loss of loved ones.
It’s a cause which is very close to Mr Gatt’s heart and he is “proud of his involvement” in an organisation which deals with the reality of an often dangerous world.
Fishing is in his blood and the CBE reflects that.