A Newquay fisherman is looking to ‘reel in’ support from the community after being nominated for a national award.

Dan Gilbert needs people to vote for him after being shortlisted in the Fishing News Awards 2024 in the under 10 metre fisherman of the year category.

The fisherman, whose lobsters featured on the menu at the G7 summit held in Cornwall in 2021, was nominated for his use of social media and showcasing the industry to a wider audience through his rapidly growing TikTok platform.

Known as ‘The Cornish Fisherman’, Dan has netted more than 11,000 followers since he started live streaming his fishing voyages onboard his boat ‘The Tizardlee-on’. He targets mainly crab and lobster, and also crawfish to help educate viewers.

People from around the world are tuning in to see what Dan catches and are keen to learn more about his work.

Audiences are interested in the sustainability of his lobster fishing as anything that is illegal to land is thrown back into the sea alive.

Dan is known for giving the female lobsters carrying eggs a snack before they are carefully put back.

Dan said: “I never, ever thought I’d receive a nomination – it’s an honour. My dad Martin has been a fisherman for 50 years. I was very young when he bought me my first boat, an outboard and a handful of pots.

“I’d get up before school to go and check the pots, and be out again after school. I’ve been fishing since I could walk and talk, really.

“I’ve always been a fan of social media. I was on TikTok just flicking around and decided to set a profile up. I posted the odd video and picture, and grew a following. 

“I then decided to go ‘live’ one day – and it just blew up. I gained about 5,000 followers in one day.”

Dan says he took to TikTok to showcase what small-vessel fishing is about, and how sustainable it is. 

He said: “I love to live stream my catch to show the world the fishing industry. 

“The pots come up full of crab and lobster, but I’m also showing people how much we actually throw back. Some people do not understand how sustainable it is. It's made me proud to see how many people are interested in it.

“A lot of fishermen want to stream live but they are not able to as they lose signal because their fisheries are so far out. We have a fishery that is close to land so I can keep the live stream going.

“When I’m at sea live streaming, I have moderators who take over and answer questions people have for me.”

To vote for Dan visit fishingnews.co.uk/fishing-news-awards-news/fishing-news-awards-2024-voting-open-now