Company History
The McBride family has been involved in the fishing industry for 3 generations. McBride Fishing has been involved in the crabbing industry since 1976, beginning with small wooden 10m boats. By the mid-eighties brothers Peter and Hugh had progressed to 16m boats and developed a reputation for their forward thinking and innovative ideas for the crabbing industry. At this time fishing was seasonal (August to December) and crabs were supplied to the processing sector.
McBride Fishing saw the potential for all year fishing and to supply live crab to valuable European markets. By the beginning of the 1990s, McBride Fishing took delivery of two steel 18m Vivier Crabbers - Heather Jane and Peader Elaine. These vessels enabled the company to supply both the processed market and the live market in France all year.
Hugh Snr, Pete & Hugh Mc Bride
In the late 1990s the opportunity arose to build larger and more modern vessels under Ireland's Fleet Regeneration Scheme and McBride Fishing decided to increase its capacity further by investing in new modern vessels. The Spainish ship yard Astilleros Armon was approached and a high specification was developed for the new boats which were designed to provide the highest possible standards of safety, efficiency and product quality.
Heather Jane II, named after Hugh McBride's wife and mother was delivered in late 2000. Peader Elaine II, named after two of Peter McBride's children was delivered in early 2001.
Launch of the Peadar Elaine II
Both of these boats have set new standard for Vivier Crabbers particularly on the working deck. You can read more about the specifications of the boats in the section on Vessels.
