Fishing News Awards wins for Odie and Hutchison

Local fishermen were among the prizewinners at the Fishing News Awards ceremony last night (Thursday).

NAFC Marine Centre student Lee Odie, a crew member of the whitefish trawler Mizpah, took home the Trainee Fisherman of the Year award.

The event was held in Aberdeen’s Treetops Hotel, with comedian Fred MacAulay in the master of ceremonies role.

Odie, of Lerwick, is enrolled on the Scalloway college’s “Modern Apprenticeship in Sea Fishing” programme.

His gong was in recognition of consistently high levels of application, commitment, co-operation, determination, understanding of the fishing industry, practical skills and safety awareness.

Meanwhile, the Charisma skipper David Hutchison won the Pelagic Fisherman of the Year award.

The Valhalla skipper Ivan Garriock was highly commended in the Demersal Fisherman of the Year category.

The Opportune crew member Ben Irvine was highly commended in the Young Fisherman of the Year category.

Both Garriock and Irvine have previously trained at the NAFC Marine Centre to further their careers.

Cullivoe was highly commended in the Fishing Port of the Year category. Tthe award was collected by SIC small ports officer Ross Maclennan.