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Recognition for the work of fishing vessels' mot man |
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Thursday, 04 January 2007 |
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A fishing vessel surveyor from Newlyn has been awarded the MBE in the
Queen's New Year's Honours list.Mike Collier, aged 60, has been working
for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in Newlyn harbour since
2000, having previously served in the merchant navy and as a coastguard.
Mr Collier said: "I was stunned and thrilled to hear the news."
He is originally from Falmouth but has lived in Newlyn since taking up his post with the MCA.
After
20 years in the merchant navy, where he spent much of his time working
on tugs and small vessels in the North Sea, he joined the Coastguard,
originally being posted to Belfast before returning to Falmouth and
then moving to the Isles of Scilly in 1997.
In 2000, the work of
the maritime and coastguard agencies was combined and Mr Collier was
asked to become the fishing vessel surveyor for most of Cornwall.
"Probably
the easiest way to describe my work is that I'm the MoT man for all
fishing vessels for everywhere west of a line from Padstow to Looe," he
said.
Mr Collier said that traditionally fishermen viewed the
old maritime agency with suspicion but he hoped that relations had
improved.
"I like to think that there is not a fishing boat in
Newlyn that I cannot jump on board and resolve a problem informally
over a cup of tea," he said.
"Legislation is always changing but my job is to help fishermen understand the reason for the changes.
"I
also get a lot of feedback from the fishermen and they suggest ways
that they feel things can be improved. It is definitely a two-way
process."
Acticle copyright THE CORNISHMAN
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