The deadly health toll of working at sea

In response to the problem, the Fishermen’s Mission and other organisations have launched health check initiatives at docks across the UK.

Catriona Arthur leads one such initiative in Peterhead called SeaFit.

“These dockside health checks are vital,” she says.

“They’re designed to be accessible to fishermen, who often can’t predict when they’ll be ashore.

“We can catch conditions like high blood pressure and cholesterol, and refer them to GPs before it’s too late.”

She adds that historically, fishermen have suffered from long-term health conditions.

“As they get older, they develop things like COPD and cardiovascular issues,” Ms Arthur says.

“It’s about prevention.”

For Amanda, the message is clear.

“If there’s something wrong, please go to the doctor. It’s too important not to,” she says.

“And for wives like me, don’t let them tell you that they’re fine when you can see that they’re not.”