Traditional Fishing Boats of Britain & Ireland - Design, History and Evolution

Publisher: Waterline Books, 1999 £ 24.95

With his red beard, black beret and smoked-herring stall, Mike Smylie is a familiar figure at traditional boat events throughout Britain and Western France, where he publicises and opposes the mindless distruction of sound fishing vessels in conformity with EU de-commissioning quotas.

From a lifetime of involvement in Britain's sea fishery, Smylie has distilled a concise and authoritative survey of the evolution and current role of fishing boats around the British Isles. Drawing on his profound knowledge of fishing techniques, the author takes his readers methidically around the coasts of the British Isles, explaining clearly why and how rigs vary. Place-names, boat types and personalities are separately indexed, while maps show the locations of principal British and Irish fishing harbours. Historic photographs and Smylie's own sketches illustrate how many small fishing vessels have been driven to extinction by over- exploitation of fish stocks.

In the wealth of historical evidence this lively study provides a powerful manifesto for preserving representative examples, where these survive, of traditional boats threatened with destruction. The 40+ Fishing Boat Association was co-founded by Mike Smylie to campaign for this objective. Sadly it came too late to save some types such as mumble-bees and Peter boats, now disappeared forever. But this record helps to remind us of the contribution they made to our maritime life in the days before huge marine diesel engines and suction pumps introduced mass slaughter onto our fishing grounds. -JR

Page prepared 17 May 1999