Possible Clues:

• Not tied to employer, fish in the country
• Mercenary journalist?
• Mercenary let off weapon
• Working independently, suggests slippery poisson?
• Something electric, possibly, in country working independently
• Self-employed fencer with ale being spilt
• Following dance, a northern church is self-supporting?
• Self-employed swimmer across the Channel, it's implied?
• Self-employed worker for hire
• Independent European country importing fish