Fishing

The trawlers would go looking for cod, haddock, whiting, hake and flat fish like halibut, plaice and sole. These are called demersal fish and live near the seabed.

In the 1880's, for the first time, Hake, a fish found in large numbers off the coast of Ireland and the Scottish islands and generally regarded as offal was landed and introduced to the market with a favourable response.  Fleetwood ultimately became the UK's premier hake port.

During the 1920's the port's larger trawlers began to fish the distant waters of Bear Island, Norway and Iceland. The predominant fish from these grounds were cod and haddock. Gradually Milford Haven replaced Fleetwood as a top hake port.