The Hastings fish market has closed, the lorries from France that would normally fill up with fresh fish every morning have stopped coming. The local pubs and restaurants are shut. The world is on coronavirus lockdown. But for Europe’s largest beach-launched fishing fleet, there is no stopping them. Boats can be seen each day from the beaches of Hastings, punctuating the seascape. Paul’s family have been fishing since records began. Generations of fisherman who have survived huge societal, political and environmental change. COVID-19 presents yet another upheaval that Paul and his fisherman colleagues must adapt to. Despite huge changes to their customer base, Paul has already seen some positives , local people experimenting with the fish they cook- huss, skate, sole and plaice. Self-isolation on a boat isn’t possible, but the fishermen are working in small groups trying to keep themselves safe, and, as food providers, to understand the crucial role they serve in the current climate. 

Chloe White is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and photographer and director of Whalebone Films based in Hastings and London, with frequent travels around the world to collect stories and images. 

Whalebone Films was established by Chloe White and Will Davies in 2014. We are an award-winning production company based in London and Hastings. We specialise in producing creative, engaging and high-quality content for online, tv, cinema and radio. We work primarily in non-fiction and our repertoire includes documentaries, animated content, educational, promotional and fundraising films. We've produced films for the Guardian, BBC Three, Channel 4, Save the Children, Oxfam, World Health Organisation and the Barbican among others and have had our work screened at festivals around the world.