Fishing & Kilkeel

There have always been, and no doubt always will, be fishermen in Kilkeel and also from the surrounding district, Annalong being one of the early ports alongside Kilkeel. The fishing industry has always been closely linked with everyday life and still remains the mainstay in the local area. From the small rowing boats to the majestic schooners, from the early days of steam to today's sophisticated fishing vessels, the tales of the local sailors' skill, knowledge and endurance are legendary.

The fishermen of today have as hard and dangerous a job as those from bygone days, with only the vessels and fishing equipment becoming more sophisticated.. The sea around Ireland will not be able to provide the fishermen of today with the vast quantities of fish as in the old days due to the heavy fishing over this past 20 years, but a more moderate fishing and changing times may well be the saving of the stocks of fish around us.

Prawns that were once discarded are now the most important source of revenue for the local area. Most of the prawns that are landed into Kilkeel are processed locally and then exported abroad. It used to be rumoured that before prawns were used for scampi, the fishermen did not keep the prawns but saw them as a nuisance. Monkfish (Anglerfish) tails were first used to make scampi, now all that has changed, for such an ugly fish it tastes beautiful when cooked properly.