Land and Sea

It doesn't look like much...a barren bit of rock people on St. Brendan's call Ashes Island.

But when Paddy Kelly looks at Ashes Island, he sees a small step toward a future. A future lobster fishery.

Paddy Kelly has fished off St. Brendan's his whole life.  And even though he's only 41, Paddy will tell you he lives the life of his grandfather...he still grows his own potatoes, mends his own nets, cuts his own wood.

Despite his traditional lifestyle, Paddy has a modern way of thinking when it comes to the fishery. The lobster fishery in particular. He's promoting conservation, and he's doing more than just talking about it. This year, Paddy convinced other St. Brendan's fishermen to close the grounds around Ashes Island....to make it off limits to lobster fishermen. He believes there should be at least one place left to nature, where lobster can reproduce and hopefully, multiply.