David Attenborough says,

‘If we save the sea, we save the world’.

The sea absorbs and circulates heat, makes rain, generates weather systems, and influences climate. ‘The ocean makes the earth habitable’ – half the oxygen we breathe is made by phytoplankton and ocean life removes at least a quarter of human life’s carbon emissions…

The Critical Fish Trail is a new arts/ecology project - run by arts magazine/project ‘The Critical Fish’. Our approach is to combine marine science research and creative commissions, and our intentions are cultural and environmental. We aim to:

• Make opportunities for new creative work

• Explore the beauty and wonder of fish and the ocean

• Highlight the vital contribution fish and sea life make to our ecosystems - we can’t live without them!

• Create exciting work for publication/exhibition

• Create art/science collaborations

• Promote Hull art and artists alongside the city's maritime heritage

Our starting point is Gordon Young’s much loved ‘Fish Trail’ which navigates a viewer/visitor through the streets, alleys, and watersides of Hull. 41 life-size representations of glass, brick, steel, bronze, and stone fish species are carved, engraved, set, or burnt into surfaces around the city. The artists/writers involved have each been given a ‘fish’ from the trail (drawn from a hat) and invited to make something in response according to their practice. Alongside this we have researched the health of these species to produce 41 ‘fish profiles’ exploring the effects of climate change, fishing, and pollution on these populations. 

We have 56 artists on board working in every possible medium – painting, poetry, film, sound, collage, embroidery etc. The majority are local but we have some from Scotland, the North East, Wales, Birmingham, and the South Coast. We also have community and young people’s groups producing collaborative responses to particular sea life species. For example, ‘Explorers’ (young people’s groups) at 87 Gallery have produced work in response to Flying Fish and Sharks.  

There are artists working alongside scientists with opportunities to share expertise and approaches. Our contributors range from 8 to 80 and include established and emerging artists (in keeping with our belief that everyone is an artist!). We have a granny working with her granddaughter, a mother and son partnership, and a brother and sister collaboration. So we claim the project as intergenerational as well as interdisciplinary! We think that there is a lot to be gained by these more unusual creative relationships.

Once we had the creative responses underway we invited some writers/researchers to contribute an essay. We asked them to explore the historical, cultural, and environmental issues that underpin the project. We are delighted to include these on the website - and to have these insights into different research areas and experiences.

We are showcasing the creative responses, marine science research, and overarching essays -  

• on our website and social media

• through a dedicated issue of ‘The Critical Fish’ (available at the exhibition and in galleries, libraries and other outlets in Hull, the East Riding and further afield).

• in an exhibition – at The Pier Street pop up space (25th October – 2nd November 2025) which is just off Humber Street in Hull. To coincide with the two exhibition weekends, we also have spaces booked at The Deep for workshops and networking events (see What’s On)