Everyone likes to be a fisherman’s friend but none more so than the Scottish oil and gas industry.
Theirs is a mutually beneficial and incredibly strong partnership between two very different operators, who just happen to be next-door neighbours in the North Sea.
Indeed, such is the strength of this romance that, while visiting Aberdeen last month, Geoff Brock, South Australia minister for regional development and local government, said he would be recommending the Land of Oz could benefit immensely from a similar partnership.
“The relationship between the two industries here is phenomenal,” he is reported as saying.
But, really, we have to ask – what do these sectors see in one another? It seems as unlikely a match as Carol and Billy off EastEnders.
The secret of their success, of course, lies in their shared location: the UK continental shelf not only hosts both industries, it represents an arena of possibilities where a good working relationship can be best exploited together.
Fishing vessels can be contracted to protect infrastructure during rig operations or they can be asked to trawl appropriate areas to clear any residual oil material.
As both industries appreciate just how essential the marine environment is to their success, this area is particularly vital and leads to close communication.
As in any marriage, sometimes pals are called on to let off steam about a non-attentive partner. In this case, support comes from organisations, systems and processes that deal with maintaining best practices in the working relationship – and, as a bonus, this has created jobs in the process.
The Fisheries Legacy Trust Company (FLTC) was set up in 2007 to manage interactions and an endowment fund set up to offset negative legacy issues. It established the FishSAFE device, which is installed on vessels to warn them about oil and gas fields or infrastructure.
It also made long-term access to seabed hazards data accessible to all fishermen.
It has funding in numerous research sectors to do with marine technology and safety in both industries, again creating jobs in each.
And then there are fisheries liaison officers (FLOs). Since the early Eighties as part of the conditions of license, oil and gas companies have had to employ FLOs to liaise with fishing organisations, spokespeople and companies and the relevant governmental departments.
Think of them as full-time marriage counsellors: offering a strong link between fishermen, government and the oil and gas industry.
A strong relationship helps keep both job markets vibrant and means those working in the fishing industry are not overpowered by those in the oil industry and, conversely, oil and gas operations are not hindered by shipping.
The Scottish system is the envy of many across the world and it’s no wonder others such as Australia are now looking to follow us up the aisle.