Glens of Antrim

Download Subtitles

Transcript

0:00:27 > 0:00:31Generations of fishermen have used that rope bridge,

0:00:31 > 0:00:34but sadly, the salmon have largely deserted the rock in the road

0:00:34 > 0:00:36and so too have the netsmen.

0:00:44 > 0:00:46If you want a film the king of the fish these days,

0:00:46 > 0:00:49you have to head south to Redbay

0:00:49 > 0:00:51in the shadow of the Glens of Antrim.

0:00:58 > 0:01:01'The pier hasn't been this busy in years.

0:01:01 > 0:01:04'There's an enormous amount of gear to load

0:01:04 > 0:01:07'and prepare for our short journey offshore.

0:01:07 > 0:01:10'And there's one last important job to do.'

0:01:12 > 0:01:15Wild salmon are pretty much in decline now worldwide,

0:01:15 > 0:01:18but the farming of them is really big business,

0:01:18 > 0:01:19and here in Redbay,

0:01:19 > 0:01:23we're going to go out and do a wee bit of filming with them,

0:01:23 > 0:01:25but we have to have the gear disinfected,

0:01:25 > 0:01:28so that's my suit and all of this stuff here for the divers

0:01:28 > 0:01:30and all the people who are taking part.

0:01:32 > 0:01:35'The disinfectant stops us spreading any parasites or disease

0:01:35 > 0:01:39'among the fish in Northern Ireland's only salmon farm.

0:01:40 > 0:01:44'Doug has experience filming inside nets and will keep me right.'

0:01:46 > 0:01:48Doug, you've done this before.

0:01:48 > 0:01:50Is there anything I should know about, getting in there?

0:01:50 > 0:01:53Hopefully, the tide's going to stay slack.

0:01:53 > 0:01:55The main concern here is the tide,

0:01:55 > 0:01:58because it just rips through this channel, so just now it's

0:01:58 > 0:02:01looking slack, so we're just going to have to go for it.

0:02:02 > 0:02:05'There are about 90,000 salmon waiting for us in these cages

0:02:05 > 0:02:09'and after a few days of bad weather,

0:02:09 > 0:02:12'it feels great to have the sun smiling on us.'

0:02:12 > 0:02:15We've been bedevilled by difficult tides,

0:02:15 > 0:02:17the wind being a bit strong

0:02:17 > 0:02:21and it being overcast, and today it's absolutely spot-on.

0:02:21 > 0:02:23There's some mistake, isn't there?

0:02:23 > 0:02:25I think that wind being a bit strong

0:02:25 > 0:02:28is a bit of an understatement, Darryl.

0:02:28 > 0:02:30It was like a maelstrom yesterday.

0:02:36 > 0:02:39'The farm is a familiar sight for the countless motorists

0:02:39 > 0:02:41'who travel the coast road.

0:02:41 > 0:02:44'But we're entering a world they can't see.'

0:02:51 > 0:02:53I can't get over this!

0:02:55 > 0:02:58There is just a living, breathing, seething wall of fish.

0:03:00 > 0:03:05I'm never likely EVER to get the chance to do this again,

0:03:05 > 0:03:07so I want to go and have a wee swim with them.

0:03:07 > 0:03:10Come on, then, let's do it.

0:03:19 > 0:03:23'These salmon are destined for tables all over Europe.

0:03:23 > 0:03:25'They're silver fish fit for royalty.

0:03:25 > 0:03:28'Even the Queen has dined on them.

0:03:28 > 0:03:32'There are environmental issues associated with fish farming,

0:03:32 > 0:03:35'but I came here with just one aim -

0:03:35 > 0:03:39'to hang weightless in wonder surrounded by chrome fish.'

0:03:41 > 0:03:45I'm told there are about 15,000 salmon in here.

0:03:45 > 0:03:48That's outrageous, it really is!

0:03:48 > 0:03:51They all go in when they're about that size

0:03:51 > 0:03:55and some of these fish are just a-year-old.

0:03:55 > 0:03:59Isn't that astounding, to think that they get so big so quickly?

0:04:04 > 0:04:07'And why wouldn't they? They're hand-fed twice a day.'

0:04:09 > 0:04:13OK, I'm happy to begin to feed the fish.

0:04:28 > 0:04:33They look like piranha. It's extraordinary.

0:04:44 > 0:04:49I have never seen so many fish in one place at one time.

0:04:49 > 0:04:52They're very, very graceful.

0:05:03 > 0:05:04That was awesome in there!

0:05:04 > 0:05:09I never thought I'd get to do that, but this out here is why I came.

0:05:09 > 0:05:13There are wild fish down here and if they play ball with us,

0:05:13 > 0:05:17- it will be just outrageous! Let's go, Richard.- OK, Darryl.

0:05:17 > 0:05:20'Jim Delaney taught me to dive.

0:05:22 > 0:05:25'And he keeps me safe underwater.

0:05:27 > 0:05:30'We are both astonished at the sight of thousands of wild fish

0:05:30 > 0:05:32'flocking around us like birds.'

0:05:32 > 0:05:36This is just unbelievable!

0:05:36 > 0:05:40I'm surrounded by fish!

0:05:42 > 0:05:44They're coming right up to me!

0:05:46 > 0:05:50Behind me are all of those salmon and in front of me

0:05:50 > 0:05:52are pollack and coalfish.

0:05:55 > 0:05:58It's wonderful to see the dark shapes

0:05:58 > 0:06:00coming out of the green gorges

0:06:00 > 0:06:04and the guys up on top are throwing in pellets for the salmon.

0:06:05 > 0:06:08Standing by with food ready to be thrown in

0:06:08 > 0:06:11if you wish to do that, over.

0:06:13 > 0:06:17It's so interesting to see these live fish

0:06:17 > 0:06:20patrolling on the outside of the cages.

0:06:20 > 0:06:24They're here because they're getting a free meal,

0:06:24 > 0:06:27but they're also getting shelter from the tide

0:06:27 > 0:06:31and a little shelter from the sun up above.

0:06:33 > 0:06:35Here they come again.

0:06:37 > 0:06:39It's like they are on a treadmill.

0:06:39 > 0:06:42They're going round and round the cages below me now.

0:06:51 > 0:06:52Isn't that class, Jim?

0:06:52 > 0:06:54Absolutely. But I tell you what.

0:06:54 > 0:06:58See, when you're inside the cage looking out, there seems to be

0:06:58 > 0:07:03more of the wildlife on the outside than there is on the inside.

0:07:03 > 0:07:06I know. I've been around fish for 35 years.

0:07:06 > 0:07:09- I never experienced anything close to that before!- I know.

0:07:09 > 0:07:11Absolutely amazing in there.

0:07:11 > 0:07:14And you see whatever they were being fed, isn't that just crazy,

0:07:14 > 0:07:17like, because they're actually bumping into the camera

0:07:17 > 0:07:19and you can reach out and touch them.

0:07:19 > 0:07:22They've got absolutely no fear. They must be used to the divers.

0:07:22 > 0:07:24Yeah. I've been in the sea with many wild fish,

0:07:24 > 0:07:29- but that there was fantastic. - Just out of this world.

0:07:30 > 0:07:35'One more memorable experience on an unforgettable adventure.'

0:07:53 > 0:07:58Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd