The first of a two-part television programme produced by CBTV Productions for Tyne Tees Television about the declining traditions of inshore fishermen who use coble boats, unique to the North East coast, to fish. The opening title sequence shows fishermen at work at sea and working on building a boat on land. Title: The Last Fishermen The opening view shows the sun low on the horizon. Fishermen row out to sea on calm waters. Main Stephenson is one of the men on the boat and he talks about...

The first of a two-part television programme produced by CBTV Productions for Tyne Tees Television about the declining traditions of inshore fishermen who use coble boats, unique to the North East coast, to fish. The opening title sequence shows fishermen at work at sea and working on building a boat on land. Title: The Last Fishermen The opening view shows the sun low on the horizon. Fishermen row out to sea on calm waters. Main Stephenson is one of the men on the boat and he talks about his life as one of many fishermen in his family. But he now is one of only three fishermen working out of Alnmouth Bay near Boulmer in Northumberland. He says after the second World War there were nine boats working, with three men in each boat, but there has been significant decline since then. The commentary, with accompanying photographs, describes the boat the fishermen use. Known as a coble it is based on the Viking longship and is only found as a working vessel on the North East coast, where every fishing village from the Tweed to the Humber depended on this rugged boat. Title: Adrian Ostler – Maritime Historian On screen Adrian talks about fishing in the area. He says the mainstay of the fishing economy in the region since the middle of the last century is the salmon fishery. Decline in this industry is reflected with fewer cobles working at sea. Title: Gloria Wilson – Fishing Writer With accompanying photo’s, she describes how the cobles shape helps fishermen in launching the boat and in hauling them on to the beach after fishing, stern first. A tractor tows a coble past the camera and up the beach. Adrian describes off camera how robust the boats are if maintained properly, he also says they are very adaptable, as many of them are now motorised. Gloria says that larger boats allow fishermen to stay out for longer periods, which an attractive option for some. When the last coble was built in the region she thought that was the end of boat building as many coble builders had retired. The film shows the premises of a boat builders. A sign on a corrugated steel shed reads; ‘Oliver Bros, Boat Builders & Repairs. Steel Fabrication Tel: 604165. Gloria says that Lennie Oliver the proprietor, is the first person for ten years to build a coble and the only builder locally who can. Lennie speaks off camera as he adds structural parts to the new boat and talks about his work at Spital Bridge, Whitby. He talks about building the coble along with another local boat builder Steve Cook, thought to be Britain’s last coble builder. Title: Lennie Oliver – Boat Builder. Steve Cook works to shape a piece of wood as he talks about his earlier careers. Steve works alongside Lennie adding struts to the boat’s hull. The two of them look through newly sawn pieces of oak, to choose the right piece of wood for the next support section to be added to the coble. The film shows the interior of the coble so far and on camera Lennie Oliver lists some of the work that is still to be done. The film goes back to Main Stephenson working on board his coble, deploying fishing nets over the side of his boat hoping to catch sea trout. Main talks about the net he’s cast, a beach net, and how long they leave it before hauling it back in. They start hauling in the net putting their catch into shallow boxes. Main talks off camera about his early life as a fisherman. Some archive film shows a group of fishermen in a coble, fishing in the same way. Title: Main Stephenson – Coble Fisherman On camera Main Stephenson talks about recent poor fishing. Title: The Last Fishermen Main Stephenson is shown out in his coble named ‘Jacqueline Stephenson’, with his crew of one hauling in fishing nets. The commentary describes a system of designated areas of coastline for cobles to fish, known as berths. On camera indoors Main describes how the berth system works. As he continues the film shows Main and his crewman under the covered area of the boat having tea and a bite to eat. A colleague in another berth is hauling up his nets. Main uses a radio telephone to keep in contact with other fishermen. The board advertising the premises of boatbuilders Oliver brothers appears again. Inside Steve Cook is putting another coat of paint on the new 23-foot coble. The name of the new coble is ‘Bay Joe’ which is a reference to Lennie Oliver’s son. On camera Steve says he is pleased the way coble has turned out. The film cuts back to Main hauling in his latest catch. The commentary says the type of fishing Main and his colleagues do is becoming more restrictive. The licence to fish for salmon and sea trout only lasts from March to August, so bad weather in that time can affect income. Some fishermen fish for salmon further out to sea using drift nets, but that is also strictly time limited. As Main works on dealing with his catch, off screen he outlines the pitfalls of catching a salmon outside the licensed period. Main also identifies the young man working with him, John MacLean who lives in the village and has a lengthy fishing pedigree. John spreads ice over the boxes containing the new catch of sea trout. A view of Whitby Abbey follows silhouetted against the sun, this is followed by Captain James Cook’s statue and general views of the harbour at Whitby. The film shows various small fishing boats out at sea. On his boat Shawn Elwick a Whitby coble fisherman speaks on camera about this latest trip out to sea. Using long lines to catch fish, he concentrates on catching cod which go straight into storage boxes. Shawn’s boat ‘Charisma’ is one of only two cobles out of Whitby that use lines. The lines have many baited hooks attached to them to catch the cod. Some archive film shows how the lines had bait attached to them, often involving whole families such was the number of hooks that had to be baited. Back then mussels were used as bait, now Shawn and another fisherman bait the lines with squid. Main Stephenson guides his boat back home to Boulmer, in Northumberland. John Maclean his assistant, passes boxes of fish to Main, who is in a small rowing boat in which they transport the catch to the mainland. His coble will remain moored in Boulmer Bay, in stormy weather it would be dragged up onto the beach. Archive film shows how earlier generations got their boats onto the beach, which involved anyone who was available to pull the boat on to land. Now a winch on the back of a tractor means fewer people are involved in getting the boat safe. Main and John take the rowing boat on to a beach. Off camera Main talks of a cooperative organisation for fishermen based in Eyemouth, the main buyer of Main’s catch. The use of a tractor takes their rowing boat ‘Jennifer’ off the beach. A large van waits to take their catch on board, on one of the boxes the owners name reads, F.M.A. Eyemouth Ltd. The name on the driver’s door is more revealing; Fishermen’s Mutual Association, Eyemouth Ltd. Main is quite content working with the association, as they also supply boxes for the catch and bait. The film cuts back to Whitby, as Shawn Elwick guides his coble back to Whitby harbour. Views follow of the harbour and some of the buildings alongside. With his boat alongside the fish quay, Shaun uses a small crane to lift the boxes of his catch off the boat. Although the coble is fast disappearing, Shawn is still enthusiastic about this type of craft as he says off camera it’s ideal for salmon, line and lobster fishing. The programme ends by previewing part two of the programme, where they look at traditional lobster fishing and loss of cobles to the breakers yard, even when some are perfectly seaworthy. Credits: Narrator Mary Wimpress Camera Lee Sutterby Graphics Jon King Dubbing Mixer Andy Ludbrook Editor Dave Hindmarsh Jane Bolesworth Producer Charles Bowden © Tyne Tees Television Ltd 2003 A CBTV Production for Tyne Tees Television Granada