The harbour will continue to prosper
Recorded 8 years ago
About this recording
Willie Watt has been chairman of Wick Harbour Authority since it was founded in 2005, leading a dedicated team that has overseen a transformation in the fortunes of the port – from the installation of marina facilities to the establishment of Wick as the operations and maintenance base for the Beatrice offshore wind farm which is now taking shape in the Moray Firth. The Beatrice agreement, he says, was the “deal of the century” for the harbour. In this interview, Willie reflects on the rise of the herring trade, with Pulteneytown becoming the world’s first industrial estate; mentions the 1848 disaster which claimed the lives of 37 local fishermen; and tells of his admiration for the Caithness-born harbour builder and ship-raiser James Bremner. Willie also looks to the future of Wick harbour and the prospect of further energy developments which should bring jobs and prosperity for many years to come. “The harbour has become the hub again that it once was,” he says.
In December 2017 it was announced that Willie was being made an MBE for services to the community in Wick and Caithness.
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