Leading figure in the Scottish fishing industry David Smith, aged 89

A leading figure in the East Neuk and Scottish fishing industry, David Smith, has passed away at the age of 89.

Mr Smith, of Anstruther, came from a long line of fishermen and was skipper of a series of vessels all named Argonaut, which netted unsurpassed catches.

He also came up with inventions which made the industry safer for crews and earned him an MBE.

Mr Smith died suddenly in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, last Monday.

Born in St Monans the eldest of five in 1930, he was determined to follow his father Robert into the fishing industry after leaving Waid Academy.

At the age of 15 he became a boy cook on a herring drifter.

After several years working on boats sailing from Fraserburgh and Peterhead he saved up enough money for his own vessel.

The first of four Argonauts was built at Anstruther by Smith and Hutton, which he would use to fish for winter herring in the English Channel and halibut and cod off Iceland.

With the Argonaut II he began using seine nets to fish for haddock and became so successful that his boat was the highest earning in the country for several years.

Mr Smith and his crew won the Golden Haddock prize presented by Edinburgh-based Caley Fisheries, owned by Joe Croan, so often that he was given the trophy permanently.

In the late 1970s Mr Smith was honoured with an MBE by the Queen.

His development of a shelter deck to protect his crew became standard for fishing vessels nationwide.

When the European Union was forming Mr Smith travelled to Brussels regularly to fight for the quotas for Scottish fishermen.

He was also chairman of the Scottish Whitefish Producers Association for many years.

In 2012 he published memoirs of his 50-year fishing career in Argonaut: Memories of an East Neuk Skipper.

A model of his final vessel, Argonaut IV, is on display in the Scottish Fisheries Museum, in Anstruther, of which he was a trustee and board member.

On shore, Mr Smith was an avid golfer and would travel the world playing as many courses as he could.

With wife Isa, who passed away eight years ago, he had children Dianne, Robert, who owns the Anstruther Fish Bar, and David, who followed him into the fishing industry.

He also had seven grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mr Smith’s work earned him an MBE.