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We may live in a digital age... | 0:00:07 | 0:00:09 | |
..but a surprising amount of British trade is still done the | 0:00:11 | 0:00:14 | |
old-fashioned way... | 0:00:14 | 0:00:16 | |
INDISTINCT BIDDING | 0:00:16 | 0:00:18 | |
..at traditional auctions. | 0:00:19 | 0:00:21 | |
Now's your time to get a bargain. | 0:00:21 | 0:00:23 | |
These sales may feel like throwbacks to a bygone age... | 0:00:23 | 0:00:27 | |
..but for the buyers and sellers who flock to them, | 0:00:28 | 0:00:31 | |
they're still the best way to conduct business. | 0:00:31 | 0:00:34 | |
1,600, blow your nose and bid again. | 0:00:34 | 0:00:36 | |
We'll be visiting the UK's most dynamic traditional markets... | 0:00:36 | 0:00:40 | |
..selling everything from pigs to cattle, sheep dogs to ponies... | 0:00:42 | 0:00:47 | |
..fish to veg. | 0:00:49 | 0:00:51 | |
And discovering how they are the heartbeat of rural life. | 0:00:51 | 0:00:55 | |
There'll be bargains to be had today. | 0:00:56 | 0:00:58 | |
-4.50. -Best part of being at an auction. | 0:00:58 | 0:01:00 | |
Today, we're on the stunning south Devon coast, | 0:01:02 | 0:01:05 | |
home to a world-famous fish market. | 0:01:05 | 0:01:08 | |
We'll be meeting the auctioneers in the hot seat... | 0:01:09 | 0:01:12 | |
Lovely fish, isn't it? Best quality on here. | 0:01:12 | 0:01:14 | |
The sky's the limit for prices. | 0:01:14 | 0:01:16 | |
If they need something, they'll buy it at a loss if they have to. | 0:01:16 | 0:01:19 | |
And following the fortunes of three buyers and sellers... | 0:01:19 | 0:01:22 | |
Since I was probably 12-years-old, | 0:01:22 | 0:01:24 | |
I've been going down to the auction and trying to make a buck. | 0:01:24 | 0:01:27 | |
..as they experience all the excitement... | 0:01:27 | 0:01:30 | |
I've got 8.50. 8.60? 8.60. | 0:01:31 | 0:01:33 | |
..and tension... | 0:01:35 | 0:01:37 | |
No, me. | 0:01:37 | 0:01:38 | |
-7.50? -He went to 7.50, did he? | 0:01:38 | 0:01:39 | |
You went to £7. | 0:01:39 | 0:01:40 | |
..as the hammer falls. | 0:01:40 | 0:01:42 | |
200. | 0:01:42 | 0:01:44 | |
We're in Brixham, Devon. | 0:01:53 | 0:01:55 | |
At the heart of this picturesque fishing town is the world-famous | 0:01:56 | 0:02:00 | |
Brixham fish market. | 0:02:00 | 0:02:02 | |
It's been going for well over 100 years, | 0:02:04 | 0:02:07 | |
but it's now experiencing the biggest boom in its history. | 0:02:07 | 0:02:10 | |
How much for those? | 0:02:10 | 0:02:12 | |
£15 for each. | 0:02:14 | 0:02:15 | |
This fish, here, was probably caught yesterday afternoon. | 0:02:19 | 0:02:22 | |
They've got a sparkle in their eyes. | 0:02:22 | 0:02:24 | |
I consider myself extremely lucky that I can buy my fish here. | 0:02:26 | 0:02:29 | |
It's one of England's biggest fish auctions. | 0:02:31 | 0:02:34 | |
Around 11,000 tonnes of fish were sold here last year. | 0:02:34 | 0:02:38 | |
Everything from mullet to mackerel, sea bass to scallops. | 0:02:39 | 0:02:43 | |
Battling to achieve the best possible price for the fish here are | 0:02:45 | 0:02:48 | |
auctioneers John Rogers and Todd Crombie. | 0:02:48 | 0:02:51 | |
Morning, boys. | 0:02:55 | 0:02:57 | |
Brixham market has gone from | 0:02:57 | 0:02:58 | |
strength to strength in the last few years. | 0:02:58 | 0:03:01 | |
It doesn't seem to be easing up. | 0:03:01 | 0:03:02 | |
If anything, it's getting more | 0:03:02 | 0:03:05 | |
busier and busier as the years progress. | 0:03:05 | 0:03:07 | |
Behind Brixham's current boom is a | 0:03:09 | 0:03:11 | |
huge increase in international trade. | 0:03:11 | 0:03:14 | |
Last year, we broke all our records and made £30 million worth of fish. | 0:03:14 | 0:03:18 | |
We're on, you know, to beat all port records again this year. | 0:03:18 | 0:03:21 | |
Beautiful lobsters. | 0:03:22 | 0:03:23 | |
We've actually topped the million pound for a week | 0:03:25 | 0:03:28 | |
and it was all, like, big celebrations and that is, | 0:03:28 | 0:03:31 | |
but this year, our best ever week is just short of £2 million, | 0:03:31 | 0:03:36 | |
which is silly money, isn't it? It's Monopoly money, so... | 0:03:36 | 0:03:40 | |
Yeah, it's been brilliant. | 0:03:40 | 0:03:42 | |
And it's great news for the whole town as nearly everyone in Brixham | 0:03:44 | 0:03:48 | |
has some connection to the fishing industry and the market. | 0:03:48 | 0:03:52 | |
The fishing port really in Brixham, I mean, | 0:03:52 | 0:03:53 | |
it's a massive amount of people that's employed through here. | 0:03:53 | 0:03:57 | |
There's a lot of people that depend on the market side, the boat side, | 0:03:57 | 0:04:01 | |
then you've got the restaurants and all the other fish businesses that | 0:04:01 | 0:04:04 | |
expand from that. | 0:04:04 | 0:04:05 | |
John and Todd are on the market floor from 5am every day checking | 0:04:11 | 0:04:15 | |
-what's for sale. -Nice crabs. | 0:04:15 | 0:04:17 | |
They'll make good money today. | 0:04:19 | 0:04:21 | |
Absolutely love this job. | 0:04:21 | 0:04:22 | |
I don't suppose there's many people | 0:04:23 | 0:04:25 | |
who can say they look forward to going to work, but I do. | 0:04:25 | 0:04:28 | |
I rarely take holidays. | 0:04:28 | 0:04:30 | |
I'd work all the time if I could. | 0:04:30 | 0:04:32 | |
And if you can get top price for your fish, you know, | 0:04:32 | 0:04:34 | |
you're happy with yourself, you know the boat's going to be happy and | 0:04:34 | 0:04:37 | |
the fishermen are going to be happy, so you can walk into a pub on... | 0:04:37 | 0:04:41 | |
With your head held high, really, at the end of the day. | 0:04:41 | 0:04:43 | |
Morning. All right, mate? | 0:04:47 | 0:04:49 | |
All right, son? You all right? | 0:04:49 | 0:04:51 | |
It's 6am and today's auction gets under way with the traditional | 0:04:51 | 0:04:55 | |
ringing of the bell. | 0:04:55 | 0:04:58 | |
BELL RINGS | 0:04:58 | 0:05:00 | |
Sales! Sales! | 0:05:01 | 0:05:03 | |
Right, what would you like for the large plaice, then? | 0:05:05 | 0:05:08 | |
2.50 on the large plaice. | 0:05:08 | 0:05:10 | |
Seven and two pieces left. | 0:05:10 | 0:05:12 | |
£11. | 0:05:12 | 0:05:14 | |
Warmer autumn weather has meant lots of boats out fishing and there's | 0:05:14 | 0:05:16 | |
been no market over the weekend, so this Monday morning, | 0:05:16 | 0:05:20 | |
there's a bumper quantity of fish for sale, over 100 tonnes. | 0:05:20 | 0:05:24 | |
Supply and demand, and obviously | 0:05:24 | 0:05:26 | |
there's a lot of supply at the moment, | 0:05:26 | 0:05:28 | |
with it being quiet weather. | 0:05:28 | 0:05:30 | |
Everything that floats out, every port's got fish being landed to it, | 0:05:30 | 0:05:34 | |
including the continent. | 0:05:34 | 0:05:36 | |
But fish can only command a top price when it's fresh, | 0:05:36 | 0:05:39 | |
so John and Todd need to sell all of it today. | 0:05:39 | 0:05:42 | |
I've got 8.50, 8.60? | 0:05:42 | 0:05:44 | |
To help them get through it all quicker, | 0:05:44 | 0:05:46 | |
they run two auctions in parallel. | 0:05:46 | 0:05:48 | |
40, 50, 60... 80, 90. £96? | 0:05:48 | 0:05:52 | |
11 for that piece? | 0:05:52 | 0:05:54 | |
£12, one, twos or threes. | 0:05:54 | 0:05:55 | |
John will sell all the prime, which is the big fish. | 0:05:55 | 0:05:59 | |
You know, the soles and the monk and, you know, all that side of it. | 0:05:59 | 0:06:04 | |
£5. £5, 5.10. 5.10, 5.20, 5.30. | 0:06:04 | 0:06:07 | |
Todd sells all the day boats. | 0:06:07 | 0:06:10 | |
They're the boats that go out daily. | 0:06:10 | 0:06:12 | |
A lot of the small buyers prefer that because it's just the small | 0:06:12 | 0:06:15 | |
pieces for their shops. | 0:06:15 | 0:06:16 | |
There are 50 buyers registered to bid at Brixham. | 0:06:16 | 0:06:19 | |
There's various types of buyers. | 0:06:19 | 0:06:22 | |
Everybody's looking for different things. | 0:06:22 | 0:06:24 | |
On Todd's side, little shops and stuff, | 0:06:24 | 0:06:26 | |
they're all looking for, you know, | 0:06:26 | 0:06:28 | |
that really fresh fish which has only been caught the previous day. | 0:06:28 | 0:06:32 | |
The bigger buyers are looking for more bulk stuff, really. | 0:06:33 | 0:06:37 | |
The bigger companies, I mean, | 0:06:39 | 0:06:40 | |
they will spend up to a good £200,000 to £300,000 a day. | 0:06:40 | 0:06:45 | |
And you could get your little man with a van | 0:06:45 | 0:06:49 | |
and his bill might be 20 quid a day. | 0:06:49 | 0:06:52 | |
Someone who's hoping to get a top price | 0:06:55 | 0:06:57 | |
for his fish at today's auction | 0:06:57 | 0:06:59 | |
is trawler fisherman, Alan Scales, skipper of the Ann Marie. | 0:06:59 | 0:07:03 | |
There's been a lot of fish about all week, | 0:07:04 | 0:07:06 | |
so a lot of the buyers have got a lot of fish in stock. | 0:07:06 | 0:07:09 | |
Prices are going to struggle a bit today, I think. | 0:07:09 | 0:07:11 | |
For the fishermen, like Alan, who supply the market, | 0:07:13 | 0:07:15 | |
auction day actually begins the evening before. | 0:07:15 | 0:07:18 | |
Alan and his crew on the Ann Marie are one of 50 small day boats and 23 | 0:07:24 | 0:07:29 | |
larger vessels which call Brixham home. | 0:07:29 | 0:07:31 | |
I've fished all round the country over the years and landed in | 0:07:36 | 0:07:39 | |
different places. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:40 | |
The feeling of when you come back to Brixham is just there, | 0:07:40 | 0:07:44 | |
there's something that grips you. | 0:07:44 | 0:07:46 | |
Anyone that's been here will know what I mean. | 0:07:46 | 0:07:49 | |
I started fishing full-time at 15, 40 years ago now. | 0:07:53 | 0:07:59 | |
I went down to the harbour as a kid about nine-years-old, | 0:07:59 | 0:08:03 | |
just wandering around, getting in everyone's way. | 0:08:03 | 0:08:05 | |
I was interested in absolutely everything about the boats, | 0:08:07 | 0:08:10 | |
so I knew that that was what my life was going to be. | 0:08:10 | 0:08:12 | |
He and his crew have arrived back | 0:08:14 | 0:08:15 | |
into harbour after a full day trip at sea. | 0:08:15 | 0:08:17 | |
But there's no time to relax, as they need to get their catch | 0:08:17 | 0:08:21 | |
unloaded and into the market ready for the morning's auction. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:24 | |
So, this week, we've got approximately 110 boxes of | 0:08:26 | 0:08:31 | |
cuttlefish and 70, 80 boxes of mixed fish. | 0:08:31 | 0:08:35 | |
That normally takes us... | 0:08:36 | 0:08:37 | |
..three quarters of an hour to land, if everything goes OK. | 0:08:39 | 0:08:43 | |
In total, they've caught just over six tonnes | 0:08:43 | 0:08:46 | |
of 18 different species of fish. | 0:08:46 | 0:08:49 | |
It's a buzz when you've had a good landing. | 0:08:49 | 0:08:52 | |
When you don't have a good landing, | 0:08:52 | 0:08:53 | |
when you're trying to earn a living for five or six crew, | 0:08:53 | 0:08:57 | |
it does get you down because you feel so responsible for those crew. | 0:08:57 | 0:09:02 | |
When it's really, really good, | 0:09:02 | 0:09:04 | |
then you get a pat on the back from them and everything's good. | 0:09:04 | 0:09:07 | |
MUSIC PLAYS | 0:09:07 | 0:09:09 | |
Alan and his crew on the Ann Marie are hoping this catch will net them | 0:09:16 | 0:09:19 | |
enough to earn a decent wage for their trip. | 0:09:19 | 0:09:22 | |
They've been seeking out a particular type of fish they hope | 0:09:22 | 0:09:26 | |
will guarantee them a good price at the auction. | 0:09:26 | 0:09:28 | |
This time of year, cuttlefish is our main target species. | 0:09:28 | 0:09:32 | |
Every year is different. | 0:09:34 | 0:09:35 | |
We can't plan, we just go out, | 0:09:35 | 0:09:38 | |
reports from other boats that are already out, the general feeling. | 0:09:38 | 0:09:42 | |
We hunt it down, look for it, and over a period of six or seven days, | 0:09:42 | 0:09:46 | |
then we sort of pin it down to a particular area. | 0:09:46 | 0:09:50 | |
Cuttlefish are not actually fish at all | 0:09:52 | 0:09:55 | |
but molluscs like squid and octopus. | 0:09:55 | 0:09:57 | |
They're cooked and eaten in a similar way, but unlike squid, | 0:09:58 | 0:10:02 | |
cuttlefish have a hard internal bone. | 0:10:02 | 0:10:05 | |
They're particularly abundant in the English Channel in the autumn, | 0:10:07 | 0:10:11 | |
but they've never been popular on UK plates, | 0:10:11 | 0:10:14 | |
so the vast majority caught here are exported. | 0:10:14 | 0:10:17 | |
Cuttlefish mainly goes to the | 0:10:19 | 0:10:20 | |
European market - Spain, Italy, France. | 0:10:20 | 0:10:23 | |
But this particular year, the Chinese market has happened, | 0:10:24 | 0:10:28 | |
so there's been a lot more demand for our cuttlefish, | 0:10:28 | 0:10:33 | |
so the price has been up a lot better on that. | 0:10:33 | 0:10:36 | |
The rising price of cuttlefish is one of the key factors behind | 0:10:36 | 0:10:39 | |
Brixham's current boom. | 0:10:39 | 0:10:41 | |
Most of the fish Alan's caught on this trip are cuttlefish, | 0:10:41 | 0:10:45 | |
so he's hoping the price stays high at the auction. | 0:10:45 | 0:10:48 | |
There's a lot at stake, as a bad price could mean Alan and | 0:10:48 | 0:10:51 | |
his crew won't get paid at all for their four-day trip. | 0:10:51 | 0:10:55 | |
We don't know what the price is going to be at the end of it all. | 0:10:55 | 0:10:57 | |
It's an auction, so that means it's auctioned every day. | 0:10:59 | 0:11:03 | |
There is no guarantee that we're going to get a good price. | 0:11:03 | 0:11:05 | |
We could come in at the end of a week and not make the expenses of | 0:11:05 | 0:11:09 | |
the daily running of the boat. With your fuel, insurance, the food, | 0:11:09 | 0:11:15 | |
all the other things that come with that, | 0:11:15 | 0:11:18 | |
it's approximately £2,000 a day. | 0:11:18 | 0:11:20 | |
And the risks aren't just financial. | 0:11:23 | 0:11:25 | |
Fishing is one of the UK's most dangerous jobs, | 0:11:25 | 0:11:28 | |
with fishermen standing a one in 20 chance of being killed at work. | 0:11:28 | 0:11:32 | |
There's lots of risks at sea. | 0:11:34 | 0:11:36 | |
Obviously, weather is one particular thing we have to keep an eye on. | 0:11:36 | 0:11:41 | |
Old wrecks that we could tip the boat over. | 0:11:41 | 0:11:45 | |
Obviously, you could lose your life and lose the life of all your crew. | 0:11:45 | 0:11:48 | |
You have to be very, very wary and respect the sea. | 0:11:48 | 0:11:52 | |
Alan's hoping this morning's auction will make the risks worthwhile. | 0:11:56 | 0:12:00 | |
I would hope to think that we would make somewhere in the region of | 0:12:00 | 0:12:03 | |
about £20,000. | 0:12:03 | 0:12:04 | |
That would be a good result for us. | 0:12:04 | 0:12:06 | |
But the good weather that's helped them catch larger fish could | 0:12:07 | 0:12:10 | |
actually make selling them more difficult. | 0:12:10 | 0:12:12 | |
The problem is if everyone catches lots and lots of fish, | 0:12:12 | 0:12:16 | |
then the market gets flooded with fish and then the buyers of our fish | 0:12:16 | 0:12:21 | |
struggle to sell it. | 0:12:21 | 0:12:23 | |
£6, 6.50. 60? | 0:12:23 | 0:12:25 | |
Do all the fives, you could take them all home. | 0:12:25 | 0:12:28 | |
Another number three, then. | 0:12:28 | 0:12:29 | |
Did somebody say 5.50? 12.10, 12.20? | 0:12:29 | 0:12:32 | |
12.10. At 12.10. | 0:12:32 | 0:12:34 | |
Alan has just over six tonnes of fish for sale at today's market. | 0:12:36 | 0:12:40 | |
The next few hours will determine whether or not he and his crew will | 0:12:40 | 0:12:44 | |
make enough on it to earn a wage for their four-day trip. | 0:12:44 | 0:12:47 | |
The huge amount of fish that's come in overnight from the Ann Marie and | 0:12:48 | 0:12:51 | |
all the other boats has been sorted. | 0:12:51 | 0:12:54 | |
The auctioneers will group together several boxes of the same size and | 0:12:54 | 0:12:57 | |
species, and the bidders offer a price per kilo for each lot. | 0:12:57 | 0:13:01 | |
Not overoptimistic today. | 0:13:01 | 0:13:03 | |
They're just starting to sell our soles now, | 0:13:03 | 0:13:05 | |
so we'll have a listen out and fingers crossed. | 0:13:05 | 0:13:07 | |
Hopefully, it will be a bit better today. | 0:13:07 | 0:13:10 | |
Right, now, the fours. | 0:13:10 | 0:13:11 | |
Fours there now. How much for those? | 0:13:11 | 0:13:14 | |
Lovely fish, isn't it? Best quality on here. | 0:13:14 | 0:13:16 | |
£7? £7. 7.10? Ten, 20? 20, 30? £10 by Brixham. | 0:13:16 | 0:13:19 | |
10.10? £10, Brixham. | 0:13:19 | 0:13:22 | |
-Which piece, Nige? -Alan's Dover soles have been sold as part of a | 0:13:22 | 0:13:26 | |
group averaging around £10 per kilo, £2 less than a month before. | 0:13:26 | 0:13:31 | |
He's made just under £1,500 for them. | 0:13:31 | 0:13:33 | |
Right, number two tubs. 1.20. I've accepted 1.10. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:40 | |
£1? | 0:13:40 | 0:13:41 | |
Alan's catch is going under the hammer lot by lot. | 0:13:41 | 0:13:44 | |
There's nothing he can do but wait. | 0:13:44 | 0:13:47 | |
Ones, twos and threes. | 0:13:47 | 0:13:48 | |
Ten? | 0:13:48 | 0:13:50 | |
Prices so far aren't quite what he was hoping for. | 0:13:51 | 0:13:54 | |
26. | 0:13:54 | 0:13:57 | |
At 10.70. | 0:13:57 | 0:13:58 | |
10.70 again. | 0:13:58 | 0:14:00 | |
They've just sold our monk and the price has been much the same as the | 0:14:00 | 0:14:04 | |
other boats, so it's been OK, but not a brilliant price. | 0:14:04 | 0:14:08 | |
There's a long way to go to reach the £20,000 target that will ensure | 0:14:10 | 0:14:14 | |
Alan and his crew get a decent wage, | 0:14:14 | 0:14:16 | |
but he still has his big cuttlefish haul to go. | 0:14:16 | 0:14:19 | |
Will it bring in the big bucks he was banking on? | 0:14:19 | 0:14:22 | |
The daily dramas taking place at the market are just the latest chapter | 0:14:26 | 0:14:30 | |
in its long history. | 0:14:30 | 0:14:31 | |
Fish has been auctioned here for over 100 years and fishing has been | 0:14:33 | 0:14:37 | |
the town's lifeblood for over a thousand. | 0:14:37 | 0:14:39 | |
So-called Brixham trawlers were among the world's first deep sea | 0:14:41 | 0:14:45 | |
fishing vessels, allowing fishermen | 0:14:45 | 0:14:47 | |
to go further and deeper than ever before. | 0:14:47 | 0:14:49 | |
Been a fishing town for many a year. | 0:14:49 | 0:14:52 | |
Back in the 18th century, really, it all starts from the sailing | 0:14:52 | 0:14:56 | |
smacks right up till now, so all the modern fleet that we have. | 0:14:56 | 0:14:59 | |
7.1. | 0:15:02 | 0:15:06 | |
Right, number two. | 0:15:06 | 0:15:08 | |
I've got £3 by Ocean. 3.10? | 0:15:08 | 0:15:10 | |
But the auction isn't stuck in the past. | 0:15:10 | 0:15:13 | |
A £20 million upgrade in 2011 has made it one of the world's most | 0:15:13 | 0:15:17 | |
hi-tech selling operations. | 0:15:17 | 0:15:19 | |
Boats unload their catches at the market quay. | 0:15:21 | 0:15:24 | |
These are graded overnight on a computerised conveyor belt that | 0:15:24 | 0:15:27 | |
weighs and sorts each fish. | 0:15:27 | 0:15:30 | |
A one is a large and a five is a small, | 0:15:30 | 0:15:33 | |
so the bigger the fish, usually, the more the money. | 0:15:33 | 0:15:37 | |
The data is fed to electronic pads for the auctioneers | 0:15:37 | 0:15:41 | |
and digital displays that keep everyone updated on prices. | 0:15:41 | 0:15:45 | |
We sell them with an electronic pad now. | 0:15:45 | 0:15:47 | |
We used to do the pen and paper, but obviously, | 0:15:47 | 0:15:50 | |
we've moved on from that now, which is a lot easier. | 0:15:50 | 0:15:54 | |
And that, mate, is the four kilos. | 0:15:54 | 0:15:57 | |
Me and John, obviously, we're not too computer minded, | 0:15:57 | 0:16:00 | |
so it was a bit daunting when it all started for us, | 0:16:00 | 0:16:03 | |
but we've rose above it and, you know, | 0:16:03 | 0:16:08 | |
me and John are coming into the 21st century slowly. | 0:16:08 | 0:16:11 | |
£6. That is 1.2 kilos. Obviously, he has. | 0:16:11 | 0:16:15 | |
One of the very few regular female | 0:16:24 | 0:16:26 | |
buyers is local fishmonger, Tracy Beer. | 0:16:26 | 0:16:29 | |
I'm looking for the fish to be clear eyes, bright skin, just vibrant. | 0:16:32 | 0:16:37 | |
Do you want that? | 0:16:37 | 0:16:39 | |
What, the brill? What size is it? Is it a three? | 0:16:39 | 0:16:41 | |
You see mackerel and it's shining, | 0:16:41 | 0:16:43 | |
you know that's lovely and that's going to sell all day in my shop. | 0:16:43 | 0:16:46 | |
2.20 on the number two plaice. I've got £2, £2.10. | 0:16:46 | 0:16:50 | |
MUSIC PLAYS | 0:16:50 | 0:16:55 | |
Tracy's fishmonger's shop is five miles up the coast in Paignton. | 0:16:59 | 0:17:03 | |
I love my shop. | 0:17:04 | 0:17:06 | |
I'm very passionate about it. | 0:17:06 | 0:17:09 | |
No-one dresses my window but me. | 0:17:09 | 0:17:11 | |
I've got a really nice relationship with a lot of my customers. | 0:17:16 | 0:17:19 | |
You know, we're friends, really. | 0:17:19 | 0:17:21 | |
-Thank you very much, my love. -Bye. | 0:17:21 | 0:17:22 | |
Thank you, bye. | 0:17:22 | 0:17:24 | |
Unlike most of the buyers and sellers at Brixham market, | 0:17:24 | 0:17:27 | |
Tracy's new to the game. | 0:17:27 | 0:17:29 | |
I've been a fishmonger full-time for a year. | 0:17:29 | 0:17:32 | |
Prior to that, I was training with the previous owner | 0:17:32 | 0:17:37 | |
and myself and my husband bought the shop a year ago. | 0:17:37 | 0:17:40 | |
There used to be four fishmongers here. | 0:17:40 | 0:17:42 | |
Now Tracy's shop is the only one. | 0:17:42 | 0:17:45 | |
The change of being a store manager to a fishmonger, | 0:17:45 | 0:17:48 | |
running a business and running the shop, | 0:17:48 | 0:17:51 | |
something that was completely new to me, was really hard work. | 0:17:51 | 0:17:56 | |
Found it very stressful. | 0:17:56 | 0:17:57 | |
I was trying to learn so much and take so much in | 0:17:57 | 0:18:00 | |
but still keep that business going. | 0:18:00 | 0:18:02 | |
I think the toughest part is the | 0:18:05 | 0:18:07 | |
early mornings and it's such a long day. | 0:18:07 | 0:18:10 | |
Obviously, I'm up at half past four in the morning and I'm actually | 0:18:10 | 0:18:13 | |
doing two to three hours at market buying fish | 0:18:13 | 0:18:16 | |
before my day even really begins. | 0:18:16 | 0:18:19 | |
I'm just cold all day. | 0:18:19 | 0:18:20 | |
You know, your hands are in ice. | 0:18:21 | 0:18:22 | |
You get home from work and you smell of fish. | 0:18:22 | 0:18:24 | |
But despite the difficulties, she wouldn't be anywhere else. | 0:18:25 | 0:18:29 | |
I'm so passionate about it now. | 0:18:29 | 0:18:31 | |
Before, I wouldn't even have a fish on my plate with a head on it. | 0:18:31 | 0:18:34 | |
You know, I'd be like, "Not a chance!" | 0:18:34 | 0:18:37 | |
But now, going to market, seeing all these wonderful fresh | 0:18:37 | 0:18:40 | |
fish that our fishermen bring in just excites me. It's lovely. | 0:18:40 | 0:18:44 | |
I'd never tried turbot before until I started going to market | 0:18:44 | 0:18:48 | |
and it's amazing. So there's varieties of fish out there that | 0:18:48 | 0:18:51 | |
you can get from your fishmonger | 0:18:51 | 0:18:53 | |
which you won't be able to get in your supermarket. | 0:18:53 | 0:18:55 | |
I'm really hoping that people start to use their fishmonger | 0:18:56 | 0:19:00 | |
and not supermarket. It's fresh, filleted for you in store. | 0:19:00 | 0:19:04 | |
OK, Scott, do you want me to skin it for you? | 0:19:06 | 0:19:08 | |
-Yeah. -Do you want it skinned? | 0:19:08 | 0:19:10 | |
The daily auctions at Brixham market are vital to Tracy's business. | 0:19:13 | 0:19:17 | |
It's really important to know where the fish is from. | 0:19:17 | 0:19:20 | |
Customers ask. I know it's going to be fresh, | 0:19:20 | 0:19:22 | |
I know that that fish was possibly swimming the day before. | 0:19:22 | 0:19:25 | |
When I'm there, I can choose what fish I want, I can see it. | 0:19:25 | 0:19:29 | |
Brixham is... | 0:19:29 | 0:19:30 | |
It's the world-famous Brixham fish market. | 0:19:30 | 0:19:32 | |
It makes a massive difference to my shop. | 0:19:32 | 0:19:34 | |
20 minutes back from market and I'm ready. | 0:19:34 | 0:19:37 | |
MUSIC PLAYS | 0:19:37 | 0:19:42 | |
Back at the auction, she has a long list of fish to find, | 0:19:45 | 0:19:48 | |
including plaice, cod and lemon sole. | 0:19:48 | 0:19:52 | |
I go down, I have an idea of what I need that day for my shop. | 0:19:52 | 0:19:56 | |
If I can get that fish at market, that's a good day. | 0:19:56 | 0:19:59 | |
Obviously, getting it at the right price is important. | 0:19:59 | 0:20:03 | |
I've got overheads, so if I'm buying some fish, | 0:20:03 | 0:20:06 | |
I need to know that I can double that, so, you know, | 0:20:06 | 0:20:08 | |
obviously if I'm getting a little bit more, even better. | 0:20:08 | 0:20:11 | |
I need to buy fish daily. | 0:20:11 | 0:20:13 | |
That bass mix, then. £7. | 0:20:13 | 0:20:15 | |
I've got £7. 7.10? £7... | 0:20:15 | 0:20:17 | |
And she has just a few hours before she needs | 0:20:18 | 0:20:21 | |
to have it back at her shop and be ready to open at 8:30. | 0:20:21 | 0:20:25 | |
You know, you can go to market and be really disappointed. | 0:20:25 | 0:20:27 | |
You just look and think, "Is that it? | 0:20:27 | 0:20:29 | |
"Oh, my God, what am I going to do?" | 0:20:29 | 0:20:31 | |
-£7? -Yeah. -I've got £7. | 0:20:33 | 0:20:35 | |
For Tracy, being one of a handful of women in a very male environment | 0:20:36 | 0:20:41 | |
took a bit of getting used to. | 0:20:41 | 0:20:42 | |
When I first went, I didn't know anybody, | 0:20:42 | 0:20:45 | |
so, to me, it was quite daunting. | 0:20:45 | 0:20:47 | |
And there's all these men, you know, | 0:20:47 | 0:20:49 | |
I didn't see any women and I was like, "Crikey," you know? | 0:20:49 | 0:20:51 | |
But they made me feel so welcome. | 0:20:51 | 0:20:53 | |
She done well when she first started, Trace. | 0:20:54 | 0:20:56 | |
I mean, to walk onto that Brixham market with 50 buyers. | 0:20:56 | 0:20:59 | |
When anybody starts down here, they will run you up. | 0:20:59 | 0:21:03 | |
They will make you pay for your fish. | 0:21:03 | 0:21:05 | |
7.50. At 7.50, bought. | 0:21:05 | 0:21:07 | |
-No, me. -7.50. | 0:21:07 | 0:21:09 | |
-He went 7.50, did he? -You went £7. | 0:21:09 | 0:21:11 | |
It's all right, I wanted the fives anyway. | 0:21:11 | 0:21:13 | |
-Don't argue with the auctioneer. -No. | 0:21:13 | 0:21:15 | |
Tracy's edging her way into the action at Todd's day boat auction. | 0:21:15 | 0:21:19 | |
A buyer will position themselves next to a box they're after, | 0:21:21 | 0:21:24 | |
hoping no-one else muscles in to drive up the price. | 0:21:24 | 0:21:27 | |
Like a game of poker in woolly hats and wellies. | 0:21:27 | 0:21:31 | |
The auction is all about if you need that box, | 0:21:31 | 0:21:33 | |
you will just bid on it until you get it. | 0:21:33 | 0:21:35 | |
I will start the price off and they'll try and knock me down. | 0:21:35 | 0:21:39 | |
But I'll try to batter them back up again. | 0:21:39 | 0:21:41 | |
8.90, £9? | 0:21:41 | 0:21:43 | |
8.90. | 0:21:43 | 0:21:45 | |
And Tracy's off to a flying start. | 0:21:45 | 0:21:47 | |
-No, 1.70? -1.70 by D&S. | 0:21:47 | 0:21:50 | |
Once they've won a box, | 0:21:50 | 0:21:51 | |
the buyer puts a tally with their shop or company's name on it. | 0:21:51 | 0:21:55 | |
Tracy's is D&S, after the previous owner of her fishmonger's shop. | 0:21:55 | 0:21:59 | |
Just bought some red mullet. It sells really well in the shop. | 0:21:59 | 0:22:02 | |
Looks nice and bright as well. | 0:22:02 | 0:22:04 | |
She's a woman on a mission. | 0:22:05 | 0:22:07 | |
-£8 for that bass. -Seven for the fives. | 0:22:08 | 0:22:11 | |
I'll go £7.60? 1.10? 1.50, 1.60? | 0:22:11 | 0:22:16 | |
-Yeah. Yeah. -And she's not taking any prisoners. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:19 | |
I need them. | 0:22:19 | 0:22:22 | |
-Tracy, 1.5. -Yeah. | 0:22:23 | 0:22:25 | |
We've got plaice. | 0:22:26 | 0:22:27 | |
That's one of my bestselling fish. It's really nice sea bass. | 0:22:29 | 0:22:31 | |
Whiting, we've got some pollock. | 0:22:33 | 0:22:35 | |
My white fish, I have to have white fish in the shop. | 0:22:35 | 0:22:38 | |
And cod. | 0:22:38 | 0:22:39 | |
But there's one top-selling fish | 0:22:40 | 0:22:42 | |
Tracy still needs to get her hands on. | 0:22:42 | 0:22:45 | |
-No lemon sole? -I've got off lemon today. -Have you? | 0:22:45 | 0:22:48 | |
Lemon sole is a lighter, | 0:22:48 | 0:22:50 | |
more yellowy colour than Dover sole and tends to live in deeper waters. | 0:22:50 | 0:22:54 | |
It's proving to be a slippery customer today. | 0:22:54 | 0:22:57 | |
But Tracy's not about to give up. | 0:22:58 | 0:22:59 | |
Is there any there? | 0:23:01 | 0:23:02 | |
MUSIC PLAYS | 0:23:03 | 0:23:05 | |
The scale of Brixham auction reflects a national story. | 0:23:10 | 0:23:13 | |
Fish is a seriously big British business. | 0:23:13 | 0:23:16 | |
We spend over 6 billion a year on seafood with 22% of us popping down | 0:23:16 | 0:23:21 | |
to our local fish and chip shop every week. | 0:23:21 | 0:23:24 | |
Fishing brings in over £600 million a year to our economy and employs | 0:23:24 | 0:23:29 | |
around 30,000 people. | 0:23:29 | 0:23:31 | |
And it's not just us Brits who are tucking in. | 0:23:33 | 0:23:35 | |
We export around 440,000 tonnes of fish a year. | 0:23:35 | 0:23:39 | |
You know, our fish is sought-after from all over the world - Dubai, | 0:23:40 | 0:23:44 | |
places like that, because it is such high quality. | 0:23:44 | 0:23:47 | |
A whopping 70% of the fish that comes to Brixham market ends up | 0:23:48 | 0:23:52 | |
abroad in Europe, Japan, China and the USA. | 0:23:52 | 0:23:56 | |
£4.10, 4.10. | 0:24:00 | 0:24:02 | |
And one of the biggest exporters at the market is Brixham's very own | 0:24:03 | 0:24:07 | |
Mr Big, Sean Perkes. | 0:24:07 | 0:24:09 | |
He and his brother, Ian, run one of the largest fish wholesale and | 0:24:14 | 0:24:18 | |
export businesses in the area. | 0:24:18 | 0:24:19 | |
There's three brothers in the family. | 0:24:19 | 0:24:22 | |
My eldest brother and I run the fish side of it. | 0:24:22 | 0:24:24 | |
My middle brother, Graham, he's the boat owner. | 0:24:24 | 0:24:26 | |
Ian speaks five different languages in one conversation. | 0:24:27 | 0:24:30 | |
He's only speaking to somebody in Swindon! | 0:24:32 | 0:24:34 | |
Ian and Sean's business is directly opposite the market. | 0:24:41 | 0:24:44 | |
See, I think we're the only exporter that's actually based in Brixham. | 0:24:44 | 0:24:47 | |
On a daily basis now, we export to | 0:24:48 | 0:24:52 | |
France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, | 0:24:52 | 0:24:56 | |
a little bit to Spain. | 0:24:56 | 0:24:57 | |
All around France from Paris to Nice. | 0:24:57 | 0:24:59 | |
The world is a small place now with the transport. | 0:24:59 | 0:25:02 | |
I could buy that fish at six o'clock in the morning and at 6.30, | 0:25:02 | 0:25:05 | |
it's ready to go on the lorry. | 0:25:05 | 0:25:07 | |
Somebody will be eating that tomorrow in France. | 0:25:08 | 0:25:10 | |
The quality of fish we get here, the water's deep and it's cold, | 0:25:13 | 0:25:17 | |
you know, and the products that we get and we see on a daily basis, | 0:25:17 | 0:25:20 | |
you can't see anywhere. It's just perfect. | 0:25:20 | 0:25:23 | |
Like a lot of the people working in the fishing industry here, | 0:25:25 | 0:25:28 | |
Sean is Brixham born and bred. | 0:25:28 | 0:25:30 | |
The whole community of Brixham is, you know, | 0:25:30 | 0:25:34 | |
we're very, very close-knit. | 0:25:34 | 0:25:36 | |
I've lived here all my life. | 0:25:36 | 0:25:38 | |
I can't see me living anywhere else. | 0:25:38 | 0:25:40 | |
Where else would you want to be? It's got everything here. | 0:25:40 | 0:25:43 | |
You know, we've got the best sea | 0:25:43 | 0:25:44 | |
fish in the world here on our doorstep. | 0:25:44 | 0:25:46 | |
I'm the fifth generation in my family that's still involved in | 0:25:47 | 0:25:52 | |
the fishing industry from fishermen to fish packers, from wholesalers, | 0:25:52 | 0:25:56 | |
we go back hundreds of years. | 0:25:56 | 0:25:58 | |
My grandfather used to have a fish shop on the quay | 0:25:58 | 0:26:03 | |
in the late '60s, '70s. | 0:26:03 | 0:26:04 | |
My great-grandfather had a fish stall by the Golden Hind. | 0:26:04 | 0:26:10 | |
On my mother's side, we've traced it back to the 1500s. | 0:26:10 | 0:26:13 | |
Fish hawkers in Brixham. | 0:26:13 | 0:26:14 | |
It's phenomenal, really, when you see that. | 0:26:14 | 0:26:17 | |
MUSIC PLAYS | 0:26:17 | 0:26:18 | |
But Brixham's no longer a small-scale fishing town. | 0:26:23 | 0:26:25 | |
Sean and his older brother, Ian, supply over 60 businesses worldwide. | 0:26:26 | 0:26:31 | |
Their reputation depends on them | 0:26:31 | 0:26:33 | |
delivering the freshest fish every day. | 0:26:33 | 0:26:35 | |
And they have just a few hours to secure the best at the market and | 0:26:35 | 0:26:39 | |
get it on the road to their customers. | 0:26:39 | 0:26:41 | |
Fives. Last group of fives. | 0:26:41 | 0:26:44 | |
Ones and twos there now. | 0:26:44 | 0:26:45 | |
How much for those? | 0:26:45 | 0:26:47 | |
They've got a huge order of monkfish to fill today. | 0:26:47 | 0:26:50 | |
-80? -Ten for the right price. | 0:26:52 | 0:26:53 | |
60? 70? | 0:26:53 | 0:26:57 | |
-Yeah. -70. 80? | 0:26:57 | 0:26:59 | |
Sean can't be outbid if he's going to satisfy his customers. | 0:26:59 | 0:27:03 | |
10.70. 80? 80. 90? | 0:27:03 | 0:27:06 | |
-£11. -£11. Ten? | 0:27:06 | 0:27:09 | |
And he's got what he was after. | 0:27:12 | 0:27:14 | |
Monks, we've got a really good order on, so we've bought about 600, | 0:27:14 | 0:27:18 | |
700 kilo of monk. | 0:27:18 | 0:27:19 | |
Some of them will get filleted, some of them will get sent whole. | 0:27:19 | 0:27:22 | |
With the clock ticking and a lot more orders to make, | 0:27:24 | 0:27:27 | |
Sean's focused on securing the best quality fish. | 0:27:27 | 0:27:30 | |
8.60. 8.70? | 0:27:30 | 0:27:32 | |
-Yeah. -8.70, 80? | 0:27:32 | 0:27:34 | |
So imagine turbots and the brills, that will all make good money today. | 0:27:35 | 0:27:40 | |
Bass, that will make good money. | 0:27:40 | 0:27:41 | |
Squid, there's quite a lot of squid here, so we'll see how that goes. | 0:27:41 | 0:27:46 | |
Every day on the auction, you're battling against, sometimes, | 0:27:48 | 0:27:51 | |
some very good friends, but you've got to switch off and say, | 0:27:51 | 0:27:55 | |
"OK, yeah, we'll have a pint later, but at the moment, I need this fish | 0:27:55 | 0:27:58 | |
"and you're not having it, I'm having it and that's it." | 0:27:58 | 0:28:01 | |
Unfortunately, that does cause rows. | 0:28:01 | 0:28:04 | |
But it is good banter, you know? | 0:28:04 | 0:28:06 | |
A lot of those blokes that are still there I've grown up with. | 0:28:06 | 0:28:09 | |
I've been doing it 30 odd years. | 0:28:09 | 0:28:12 | |
Then you've got people like this, here, that, you know, | 0:28:12 | 0:28:15 | |
he's older than the walls around us. | 0:28:15 | 0:28:18 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:28:18 | 0:28:19 | |
It does sometimes get a bit heated down there, but, you know, | 0:28:19 | 0:28:24 | |
they certainly wind each other up a few times. | 0:28:24 | 0:28:26 | |
What did he say? | 0:28:26 | 0:28:27 | |
John, I've grown up with and known since we could walk. | 0:28:30 | 0:28:33 | |
His house was exactly opposite mine, | 0:28:33 | 0:28:35 | |
so we've grown-up together and been big mates ever since. | 0:28:35 | 0:28:38 | |
I've known him all my life from when he used to be selling on the vans to | 0:28:39 | 0:28:42 | |
where he is now. | 0:28:42 | 0:28:43 | |
And he's quite a character, as everybody knows. | 0:28:45 | 0:28:47 | |
PHONE RINGS | 0:28:47 | 0:28:48 | |
Hooray! | 0:28:48 | 0:28:50 | |
Fives. | 0:28:53 | 0:28:54 | |
WHISTLING | 0:28:55 | 0:28:56 | |
But now's not the time to mess about | 0:29:00 | 0:29:02 | |
as the auction is moving on to squid. | 0:29:02 | 0:29:04 | |
It's kept separate from the rest of the fish because of its | 0:29:05 | 0:29:08 | |
characteristic black ink that could | 0:29:08 | 0:29:10 | |
certainly play havoc with a white coat. | 0:29:10 | 0:29:13 | |
Sean and his brother, Ian, are after a lot of it today | 0:29:15 | 0:29:18 | |
as they have a huge order to send to Europe. | 0:29:18 | 0:29:21 | |
Well, we'll be looking to buy | 0:29:21 | 0:29:24 | |
two, 2.5 tonnes today, I would think. | 0:29:24 | 0:29:28 | |
Hopefully. We'll know in five minutes. | 0:29:28 | 0:29:31 | |
There's a bumper amount of squid up for sale today, but only the very | 0:29:31 | 0:29:35 | |
best quality will do. | 0:29:35 | 0:29:36 | |
Looks the same to the untrained eye. | 0:29:38 | 0:29:39 | |
We have to go through, just to be a bit particular on quality. | 0:29:41 | 0:29:45 | |
Because we're sending a lot of this to Spain and France and Italy, | 0:29:45 | 0:29:50 | |
which is a two-day delivery service. | 0:29:50 | 0:29:52 | |
So... Especially on a Monday, | 0:29:52 | 0:29:54 | |
we've got to be very careful on what we're looking at. | 0:29:54 | 0:29:57 | |
If the fish that arrives isn't up to scratch, | 0:29:57 | 0:29:59 | |
it could ruin their reputation. | 0:29:59 | 0:30:01 | |
No. | 0:30:04 | 0:30:05 | |
This isn't good enough for us. | 0:30:05 | 0:30:06 | |
By the time that got there, it would be no good at all. | 0:30:06 | 0:30:09 | |
We find, at this time of year, | 0:30:09 | 0:30:11 | |
the squid when it's in the same trawl as the cuttlefish, obviously, | 0:30:11 | 0:30:15 | |
the cuttlefish will attack it and you get little nips taken out of it | 0:30:15 | 0:30:19 | |
which, again, is not good enough for us. | 0:30:19 | 0:30:23 | |
They've only got a few hours before | 0:30:25 | 0:30:27 | |
their squid order needs to be en route to Europe. | 0:30:27 | 0:30:29 | |
But being the big fish in a small town sometimes has its advantages. | 0:30:30 | 0:30:35 | |
They've tracked down a catch from a boat they know they can trust. | 0:30:35 | 0:30:38 | |
What boat's this? | 0:30:40 | 0:30:41 | |
Over here, John. | 0:30:43 | 0:30:45 | |
Now they just need to get enough of it to fulfil their massive order. | 0:30:45 | 0:30:49 | |
-50. -60? -4.50, Perkes. | 0:30:49 | 0:30:53 | |
So, that's one lot in the bag at £4.50 a kilo. | 0:30:55 | 0:30:58 | |
Shall we say 80? 80 by Walker. | 0:30:59 | 0:31:01 | |
90? 3.90 by... | 0:31:01 | 0:31:03 | |
..Perkes. £4. | 0:31:04 | 0:31:05 | |
To Perkes, 3.90. | 0:31:07 | 0:31:08 | |
Go on that. You finished? | 0:31:08 | 0:31:11 | |
Bingo! The Perkes brothers have secured enough squid to keep their | 0:31:11 | 0:31:14 | |
European customers happy. | 0:31:14 | 0:31:16 | |
Yeah, it's been all right. | 0:31:18 | 0:31:19 | |
Been a good day so far. | 0:31:19 | 0:31:20 | |
Good showing of squid, soles... | 0:31:22 | 0:31:24 | |
Bit of bass. There's a couple more bits I need, | 0:31:25 | 0:31:27 | |
maybe some scallops up there. | 0:31:27 | 0:31:29 | |
You get a bit of a feel for it. | 0:31:29 | 0:31:31 | |
You think it's good. Sometimes it'll come back and bite you in the | 0:31:31 | 0:31:34 | |
backside, but, you know, that's part of being in an auction. | 0:31:34 | 0:31:39 | |
As long as the... | 0:31:40 | 0:31:41 | |
..stuff you make more profit on is greater than the mistakes. | 0:31:44 | 0:31:49 | |
INDISTINCT BIDDING | 0:31:49 | 0:31:54 | |
Next up for sale is the cuttlefish caught by trawler boat skipper, | 0:32:01 | 0:32:04 | |
Alan Scales. He and his crew targeted it on their last trip, | 0:32:04 | 0:32:09 | |
hoping it would be the key to netting a tidy profit. | 0:32:09 | 0:32:11 | |
-Auctioneer, John, kicks off the bidding. -Right. | 0:32:15 | 0:32:18 | |
Where you like on the number one. £4. | 0:32:18 | 0:32:19 | |
And it looks like there's a fair bit of interest. | 0:32:19 | 0:32:22 | |
Nice, aren't they? How much for those? | 0:32:22 | 0:32:25 | |
96, 97. | 0:32:29 | 0:32:31 | |
Yeah? 97, 98. | 0:32:31 | 0:32:33 | |
98, 99. 298, Coomes. | 0:32:35 | 0:32:38 | |
I think we'll have, uh, Alan's boat. | 0:32:40 | 0:32:42 | |
Alan's cuttle sells for £2.98 a kilo. | 0:32:42 | 0:32:45 | |
And with a catch of over 4,500 kilos, | 0:32:45 | 0:32:48 | |
he's made nearly £14,000 on the cuttle alone. | 0:32:48 | 0:32:53 | |
He may come close to his £20,000 target for the trip. | 0:32:53 | 0:32:57 | |
But to find out, he'll need to call | 0:32:57 | 0:32:59 | |
into the office to get his overall total. | 0:32:59 | 0:33:01 | |
-Morning, boys. -Good morning, Al. | 0:33:05 | 0:33:07 | |
Morning, Al. | 0:33:07 | 0:33:08 | |
All right? How we get on, then? | 0:33:08 | 0:33:10 | |
-You're all right. OK. -Yeah. | 0:33:10 | 0:33:14 | |
£20,363. | 0:33:14 | 0:33:16 | |
-Oh, that's all right. -The cuttle's gotten £2.98. | 0:33:16 | 0:33:18 | |
Yeah. | 0:33:18 | 0:33:20 | |
Well, got me target. | 0:33:22 | 0:33:23 | |
I was aiming for £20,000, so. | 0:33:23 | 0:33:25 | |
-Well, there you go, then. -Yeah. -We aim to please, eh? | 0:33:25 | 0:33:27 | |
Yeah. OK. | 0:33:27 | 0:33:29 | |
-All right, mate... -Lovely job, thank you, mate. -Cheers, bye. -Bye. | 0:33:29 | 0:33:32 | |
It's a huge relief for skipper, Alan. | 0:33:32 | 0:33:34 | |
With around £12,000 after the running expenses of the boat have | 0:33:34 | 0:33:38 | |
been paid, it means he and his five man crew will take home a decent | 0:33:38 | 0:33:42 | |
wage from this trip. | 0:33:42 | 0:33:44 | |
Today's auction hasn't been that bad considering the amount of fish | 0:33:44 | 0:33:47 | |
that's been landed. | 0:33:47 | 0:33:48 | |
We've ended up with a reasonable price. | 0:33:48 | 0:33:51 | |
The crew will be happy. | 0:33:51 | 0:33:52 | |
The future is looking good. | 0:33:52 | 0:33:54 | |
Probably for nine months this year | 0:33:55 | 0:33:58 | |
already that we've had excellent prices. | 0:33:58 | 0:34:01 | |
The buyers have been doing well. The boats have been doing well. | 0:34:01 | 0:34:03 | |
And everybody is happy, happy. | 0:34:03 | 0:34:05 | |
I mean, you know, if you could have that every day of the week, | 0:34:05 | 0:34:08 | |
everybody's life would be good but, unfortunately, | 0:34:08 | 0:34:11 | |
it doesn't work that way, so. | 0:34:11 | 0:34:12 | |
But not everyone at Brixham's after cuttlefish and squid. | 0:34:14 | 0:34:17 | |
Fishmonger Tracy's been at the auction for an hour and a half but | 0:34:17 | 0:34:21 | |
she's still in search of the lemon | 0:34:21 | 0:34:23 | |
sole she knows her customers will want. | 0:34:23 | 0:34:25 | |
The success of her fishmonger shop depends on keeping them happy. | 0:34:25 | 0:34:29 | |
I'm looking for lemon sole. | 0:34:30 | 0:34:31 | |
I found a small box just over there. | 0:34:36 | 0:34:38 | |
There's only about four, five fish in there. | 0:34:38 | 0:34:41 | |
Just so I've got some for the day, I've got to have lemon sole. | 0:34:41 | 0:34:44 | |
Right. The lemon sole mix. | 0:34:44 | 0:34:47 | |
-£2.50. -Yeah. -I've got £2.50. £3. | 0:34:47 | 0:34:50 | |
-Yeah. -3.10 now, 3.20? | 0:34:50 | 0:34:52 | |
-Yeah. -She really wants this fish. -£5, 5.10? | 0:34:53 | 0:34:58 | |
But only at a price that will make her a profit. | 0:34:59 | 0:35:02 | |
60, 70. 5.70? | 0:35:02 | 0:35:05 | |
5.80. | 0:35:05 | 0:35:06 | |
-No, I just got outbid on them. -Um, they just bid me up, bid me up. | 0:35:11 | 0:35:15 | |
I won't make any money on them. So, it's pointless me getting them. | 0:35:15 | 0:35:19 | |
At £5.80 a kilo, it was out of Tracy's price range. | 0:35:19 | 0:35:23 | |
But she's determined. | 0:35:23 | 0:35:24 | |
She's tracked down another box of lemon sole. | 0:35:24 | 0:35:27 | |
And this time, she's not going to be beaten. | 0:35:27 | 0:35:29 | |
They're going over there now. | 0:35:29 | 0:35:31 | |
There is four kilos, mate. | 0:35:33 | 0:35:36 | |
Right, now then, mixed lemon's, then. | 0:35:36 | 0:35:37 | |
-£4. -£4.50. I've got £4. | 0:35:37 | 0:35:40 | |
-4.20? -Yeah. | 0:35:41 | 0:35:43 | |
-40, 50? -Yeah. | 0:35:43 | 0:35:44 | |
-60, 70? -5.10. -Yeah. | 0:35:46 | 0:35:50 | |
£5.20. 6.10 at 5.10. | 0:35:50 | 0:35:52 | |
Sold to the lady in the woolly hat. | 0:35:55 | 0:35:57 | |
There's not that much lemon sole on market. | 0:35:59 | 0:36:02 | |
So, obviously, the less there is, the higher the price is going to be | 0:36:02 | 0:36:05 | |
because there's guys here that all want lemon sole, | 0:36:05 | 0:36:07 | |
so it's going to push the price up. | 0:36:07 | 0:36:09 | |
I have a limit where I can go. | 0:36:09 | 0:36:11 | |
And I will stop because or else I'm not going to make any money. | 0:36:11 | 0:36:14 | |
I did go in at £4. | 0:36:14 | 0:36:16 | |
I paid £5.10. | 0:36:16 | 0:36:19 | |
Little bit more than I wanted to. | 0:36:19 | 0:36:21 | |
But I will still make a decent margin on those. | 0:36:21 | 0:36:24 | |
Everyone loves lemon sole. | 0:36:24 | 0:36:25 | |
Especially from Brixham market. | 0:36:25 | 0:36:29 | |
MUSIC PLAYS | 0:36:29 | 0:36:32 | |
Tracy came to today's auction with an ideal shopping list. | 0:36:38 | 0:36:41 | |
And after spending around £450, she's managed to tick it all off. | 0:36:41 | 0:36:46 | |
That's me done. | 0:36:48 | 0:36:50 | |
Ready to go back to the shop. | 0:36:50 | 0:36:52 | |
Exhausted. | 0:36:52 | 0:36:53 | |
Within a few hours, Tracy's catch is on display in her Paignton shop, | 0:36:57 | 0:37:01 | |
ready to tempt in her customers, including the hard-won lemon sole | 0:37:01 | 0:37:05 | |
which takes pride of place in her window. | 0:37:05 | 0:37:07 | |
If you'll forgive the pun. | 0:37:07 | 0:37:09 | |
The fisherman go out, they work very hard. | 0:37:11 | 0:37:14 | |
Our local waters are bringing these lovely fish and to take them into my | 0:37:14 | 0:37:18 | |
shop, in my window, for my customers, | 0:37:18 | 0:37:20 | |
what more can you ask for? | 0:37:20 | 0:37:21 | |
Fish wholesaler and exporter, Sean, had a lot more fish to buy today to | 0:37:28 | 0:37:32 | |
keep his customers satisfied. | 0:37:32 | 0:37:34 | |
Top of my head, we probably spent, I would say, | 0:37:34 | 0:37:36 | |
somewhere in the region of £30-35,000 today. | 0:37:36 | 0:37:39 | |
We've bought squid, octopus, cuttlefish, fresh local bass, | 0:37:39 | 0:37:45 | |
quite a bit of turbot, actually. | 0:37:45 | 0:37:47 | |
Probably 200-300 kilo of turbot. | 0:37:47 | 0:37:49 | |
Brill, probably couple of hundred kilo of brill. | 0:37:49 | 0:37:52 | |
A lot of that is for the UK. | 0:37:52 | 0:37:54 | |
And scallops, we've probably got about 60-70 boxes of scallops. | 0:37:56 | 0:37:59 | |
So, all in all, pretty good day, really. | 0:37:59 | 0:38:03 | |
The biggest challenge for his business is to get | 0:38:03 | 0:38:05 | |
the best fish as quickly as possible. | 0:38:05 | 0:38:08 | |
But with such a bumper amount at today's market, | 0:38:08 | 0:38:10 | |
it's taken longer than usual. | 0:38:10 | 0:38:13 | |
It's now, where are we? Half past ten. | 0:38:13 | 0:38:15 | |
So, we've been here on the auction for four and a half, five hours. | 0:38:15 | 0:38:21 | |
But we wanted to hang on to this. | 0:38:21 | 0:38:23 | |
We've got a sale for this in the south of France. | 0:38:23 | 0:38:25 | |
When the customer receives that, | 0:38:25 | 0:38:27 | |
it's still going to be in top notch condition, | 0:38:27 | 0:38:30 | |
purely because it's all hook and line. | 0:38:30 | 0:38:34 | |
And it has been looked after. | 0:38:34 | 0:38:35 | |
As soon as it's caught, it's chucked into slurry ice. | 0:38:35 | 0:38:38 | |
And I know that. I know the skipper. | 0:38:38 | 0:38:40 | |
I know the owner of the boat, and I know that he looks after it well. | 0:38:40 | 0:38:43 | |
Hence it's worth me hanging on till the end. | 0:38:43 | 0:38:46 | |
Paying a little bit more but it's worth it for peace of mind | 0:38:46 | 0:38:49 | |
and customer satisfaction. | 0:38:49 | 0:38:51 | |
Most of the fish I've bought already from the auction started at six is | 0:38:51 | 0:38:55 | |
already packed. It's all ready to go. | 0:38:55 | 0:38:57 | |
We've just got to go to the office, make up the labels | 0:38:57 | 0:39:01 | |
straight onto the lorry and gone. | 0:39:01 | 0:39:03 | |
It's been one of the market's busiest days, | 0:39:03 | 0:39:06 | |
but thankfully, John and Todd managed to sell it all. | 0:39:06 | 0:39:10 | |
Nearly £400,000 worth of fish. | 0:39:10 | 0:39:13 | |
It's always busy on the Monday, nine times out of ten. | 0:39:13 | 0:39:17 | |
But, you know, sometimes it can be exceptional. | 0:39:17 | 0:39:19 | |
That was a big old market. | 0:39:19 | 0:39:22 | |
The night shift was still grading fish well after the market started. | 0:39:22 | 0:39:26 | |
You know, it's that busy. | 0:39:26 | 0:39:28 | |
But if you're standing there shouting for five hours, | 0:39:28 | 0:39:31 | |
you're ready to come upstairs for a cup of tea. | 0:39:31 | 0:39:33 | |
Sean's prized prime fish heads out | 0:39:40 | 0:39:42 | |
of Brixham on huge trucks to be shipped | 0:39:42 | 0:39:45 | |
overnight and unpacked in Europe tomorrow. | 0:39:45 | 0:39:47 | |
But it's not all international for Sean. | 0:39:51 | 0:39:54 | |
The final delivery couldn't be more local. | 0:39:54 | 0:39:56 | |
It's to yet another member of the Perkes family involved in the | 0:39:56 | 0:40:00 | |
Brixham fish trade, his wife, Sarah, who runs a beach-front restaurant. | 0:40:00 | 0:40:03 | |
Well my wife was a... She's an ex police officer. | 0:40:05 | 0:40:09 | |
And the hours were just getting horrendous for her and this | 0:40:09 | 0:40:12 | |
opportunity arouse. We didn't know what it involved, to be honest. | 0:40:12 | 0:40:16 | |
And we were pretty unsure but, you know, | 0:40:16 | 0:40:19 | |
we hit the road running and it's been really successful for us. | 0:40:19 | 0:40:22 | |
You know, we've got a great name, a good following. | 0:40:22 | 0:40:26 | |
We do things simple. | 0:40:26 | 0:40:27 | |
The key for everything is to make the fish the star. | 0:40:27 | 0:40:30 | |
MUSIC PLAYS | 0:40:30 | 0:40:33 | |
It's a beautiful location. | 0:40:44 | 0:40:46 | |
A lot of my friends are fishermen, and they come in in the middle of | 0:40:46 | 0:40:49 | |
the summer and they'll pass us and | 0:40:49 | 0:40:50 | |
they'll honk the horn as they come past. | 0:40:50 | 0:40:52 | |
And the holiday-makers love it, you know. | 0:40:52 | 0:40:55 | |
If you came down in August, this would be packed already with people | 0:40:55 | 0:40:58 | |
eating breakfast and having a few drinks. | 0:40:58 | 0:41:00 | |
You can smell them cooking already. | 0:41:04 | 0:41:06 | |
Smells... Smells like fish to me. | 0:41:07 | 0:41:10 | |
-Good morning, everybody. -Good morning. | 0:41:10 | 0:41:12 | |
How are we? | 0:41:12 | 0:41:14 | |
-Good, thank you. -Have you missed me? | 0:41:14 | 0:41:16 | |
No. Did you call me? | 0:41:17 | 0:41:18 | |
Everything here that we're eating today | 0:41:19 | 0:41:22 | |
was everything that was on the market this morning. | 0:41:22 | 0:41:25 | |
This is turbot caught yesterday. | 0:41:26 | 0:41:28 | |
To see people enjoying what I enjoy and to see it from the market to the | 0:41:29 | 0:41:35 | |
plate, it's phenomenal. | 0:41:35 | 0:41:36 | |
You know, to see people enjoying it. | 0:41:36 | 0:41:39 | |
You know, you know you're doing something right. | 0:41:39 | 0:41:41 | |
All right there? | 0:41:43 | 0:41:46 | |
MUSIC PLAYS | 0:41:46 | 0:41:50 | |
Today's auction may be finished, but at Brixham fish market, | 0:41:59 | 0:42:03 | |
tomorrow is another day when the | 0:42:03 | 0:42:05 | |
buyers and sellers will back to do it all again. | 0:42:05 | 0:42:08 | |
I'm very passionate about my fish and I'm very determined for that | 0:42:10 | 0:42:15 | |
shop to still be there in another 30 years. | 0:42:15 | 0:42:18 | |
OK, that's £18.08, Scott. | 0:42:18 | 0:42:20 | |
Thank you. | 0:42:20 | 0:42:21 | |
I will fight for that shop. | 0:42:21 | 0:42:24 | |
I will make sure that shop is successful. | 0:42:24 | 0:42:28 | |
Whatever it takes. | 0:42:28 | 0:42:29 | |
I've been at sea now for 40 years. How much longer, I don't know. | 0:42:30 | 0:42:33 | |
But, I love fishing so much, I don't know. | 0:42:33 | 0:42:36 | |
They'll probably carry me off in a box. | 0:42:36 | 0:42:38 | |
It's a good living. | 0:42:42 | 0:42:43 | |
You know, we're surrounded by nice people, nice surroundings. | 0:42:43 | 0:42:46 | |
The industry is a good industry if you're prepared to put the work in. | 0:42:46 | 0:42:50 | |
And auctioneers, John and Todd, will be ringing the bell at 6am tomorrow | 0:42:50 | 0:42:54 | |
with more fish to sell. | 0:42:54 | 0:42:56 | |
The market in Brixham now has been going to strength to strength | 0:42:56 | 0:42:59 | |
really, at the end of the day. | 0:42:59 | 0:43:01 | |
They're a great bunch down there, really. | 0:43:01 | 0:43:03 | |
You know, might call them a few names now and again. | 0:43:03 | 0:43:05 | |
But, yeah, I love it. | 0:43:05 | 0:43:06 |