Traditional Fishing Boats of Britain & Ireland (PB) (2011)

The definitive volume on Britains traditional fishing boats, by the author of Herring: A History of the Silver Darlings. The Coasts of Britain and Ireland are surrounded by some of the most tempestuous waters in the world and are among the most diverse too. For centuries, the inhabitants of these isles have harvested the rich bounty that lay just offshore. As a result of the diverse nature of the coast, each area of the UK and Ireland has developed its own unique fishing craft, ideally suited to its own local environment. Mike Smylie examines the roots and development of each native design. Many illustrations, drawings and diagrams portray the boats in their halcyon days. Mike Smylie introduces us to the background of the once great fishing fleets that sailed British waters and looks at the catches and markets for fish, before setting round the coast describing each fishing boat design, introducing them to the reader, explaining how each design suited its local environment, as well as telling us the story of the fishing industry in each locality.