0:00:02 > 0:00:06For hundreds of years, small fishing boats have set sail
0:00:06 > 0:00:09to bring home the riches of our coastal waters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13He's got one, he's caught a monkfish, yes!
0:00:13 > 0:00:15But fishing has changed.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21Deep-sea trawlers now catch most of the fish we eat.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Stocks are in decline.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25And fishermen are getting a bad name.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29Hour after hour, day after day,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32I've lowered fish through that hatch.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34You know, can that level of fishing be sustained
0:00:34 > 0:00:36long-term into the future?
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Rising costs and stringent regulations have left our fishermen
0:00:40 > 0:00:41in crisis.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Can they survive the threats to their future?
0:00:44 > 0:00:47None of us really know what's around the corner.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Everything's up in the air. It's a worrying time.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55Marine biologist Monty Halls is going to explore the challenges
0:00:55 > 0:00:57facing our fishing industry,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59but from the inside.
0:01:01 > 0:01:02For the next eight months,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05he will live and work as a Cornish fisherman.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10It's a very different thing from anything I've done before.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12He'll experience the physical demands
0:01:12 > 0:01:14of the most dangerous job in the UK.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19You get that cold shock and the cold shock's a killer.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Monty follows his catch from the sea to the plate.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29And he travels overseas to find out if there is a better way to support our fishermen.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32I take pride in the fish I land.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35- This fish will be right to the consumer by this afternoon.- Right.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40What will happen if we lose our traditional fishermen?
0:01:40 > 0:01:42If you took the fishing boats away,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45the pack of cards would fall very, very rapidly.
0:01:45 > 0:01:46It is a fishing village.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50There's no point in it existing if it isn't a fishing village.
0:02:03 > 0:02:04It's spring.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Cornwall is in full bloom and the fishing season is getting under way.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13Monty is heading down to Cadgwith Cove in the far south of the county.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17For me, this is where the love affair with the sea really started.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20I used to come down here on holiday with my folks.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25But my relationship with the sea, I think, is fundamentally different
0:02:25 > 0:02:29to the relationship that the people I'm about to meet have to the sea.
0:02:29 > 0:02:30I'm a conservationist
0:02:30 > 0:02:34and the guys I'm off to work with are fishermen,
0:02:34 > 0:02:38and part of me thinks those two worlds very much collide.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45I've almost been the opposition, in a way, because they're taking things from the sea
0:02:45 > 0:02:49and I'm all about trying to conserve things within the sea.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52So, this is going to be a very interesting experience for me.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55It's almost going over to the other side, in a way.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58From fish and chips to crab sandwiches,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02seafood is a big part of the British diet.
0:03:02 > 0:03:03But at what cost?
0:03:03 > 0:03:06By working as a fisherman, Monty wants to find out
0:03:06 > 0:03:09what's really involved in getting fish onto our plates.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Just 20 miles from Land's End,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16the Lizard Peninsula is the most southerly point
0:03:16 > 0:03:18on the British mainland.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Tucked away on its eastern coast is Cadgwith,
0:03:20 > 0:03:24one of the last traditional fishing coves left in Britain.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Arriving in the village is like stepping into the past.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34Fewer than 100 houses, many of them thatched,
0:03:34 > 0:03:38are crammed into a steep-sided valley.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Monty will live here for the next eight months.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44He hopes that his time in Cadgwith will help him to understand
0:03:44 > 0:03:48the economic and environmental issues facing the fishing industry.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Eight small boats work off the beach
0:03:53 > 0:03:56as they have done since medieval times.
0:03:56 > 0:04:01And the skipper of one has agreed to take Monty on as his apprentice.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Hello, Nigel.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05- Hello, how are you? - I'm very well. Yourself?
0:04:05 > 0:04:07- You made it, then?- Just about.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- An emotional trip. Nice to meet you. - And you.- How's it going?
0:04:10 > 0:04:13You're looking big and strong, just what I'm looking for.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14Don't be fooled, don't be fooled.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19Nigel Legge has fished here for more than four decades.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22He's just turned 60, and is starting to wind down,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25so he's got a bit of time to show Monty the ropes.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27If he can prove himself worthy,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Nigel will let Monty take charge of Razorbill on his own.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37Ultimately, the idea is you're going to trust Razorbill to me.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- Well, if you've got a big enough insurance policy, yeah! - Oh, it's huge.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42It's served me very, very well.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44She looks really stout and strong.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46- And she's sort of... sort of quite pretty, still.- Yeah.
0:04:46 > 0:04:53- I mean, I'm sure some of the other boats, they're bigger, faster.- Yeah.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Some of them will even do 20 knots.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59I'd rather take my time and go round things quietly, really.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00Exactly, exactly.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05The UK fishing fleet is still predominantly a small one.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Almost 80% of boats are less than 33 feet or 10 metres in length.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Many of their skippers are hereditary fishermen
0:05:11 > 0:05:16who have followed their fathers and grandfathers out onto the sea.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19But, every year, more and more are going out of business.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Monty wants to find out why.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28At 18 foot, Razorbill is one of the smallest fishing boats in the UK.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30But there's still a lot to understand
0:05:30 > 0:05:33if Monty is going to work her safely and productively.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Nigel wants to get him out on the water
0:05:35 > 0:05:38and learning his new trade right away.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44This is basically the Lizard.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Am I looking at the Lizard or is that the Lizard?
0:05:46 > 0:05:48- Lizard's down there.- Right.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50That's Innis Point, that's Kennack Sands,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53and back out around there
0:05:53 > 0:05:57- is the Manacles and then Falmouth. - Oh, yeah.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03The Lizard Peninsula's rugged, rocky coast is full of marine life.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Cadgwith Cove is perfectly placed
0:06:06 > 0:06:10to exploit some of the richest fishing grounds in British waters.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Nigel's fished for all sorts of species over the years,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19with both net and line.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Look at that! Monster!
0:06:22 > 0:06:25But now he's semi-retired, he's focusing on pots,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27going for lobsters and crabs.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30Whoa, big lobster in there!
0:06:32 > 0:06:34When he's cleared them of crab and lobster,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Nigel will return the string of four pots to the seabed.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39And he wants Monty to help out.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41When I get in the right place,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43- I'll just tell you to throw that over the side.- Yeah.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46And then you stand there and let the rope go away.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50- And that's one of the more dangerous parts of it?- It is, really, yeah.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55- Cos this must weigh, what... Probably 40 kilo.- 40 kilo, yeah.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Basically, the pot goes over to start the string,
0:06:58 > 0:07:02drags the other pots over, or the other pots are thrown over as well,
0:07:02 > 0:07:03and that's the dangerous part -
0:07:03 > 0:07:07imagine doing this and it's tossing and turning, got a bit of tide running,
0:07:07 > 0:07:12two or three knots a tide, that's going to whip over the side.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15If it goes around your ankle, that's it and there's, very sadly,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19many a fisherman who's been dragged over by a pot, or a string of pots.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21- Just say when.- Yeah, go on.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26- OK, you can chuck the first pot when you want, now.- Here we go!
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Monty does the first three pots without a problem.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35But then his mind wanders and he forgets about the last one.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39If it's not thrown over the side, it will be dragged over,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41and it could easily take Monty with it.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45- You going to throw the pot over, Mont?- Yeah.- Like, today. - Sorry, got it, got it!
0:07:45 > 0:07:48I actually purposely left you in Cuckoo Land then,
0:07:48 > 0:07:50because you actually got...
0:07:50 > 0:07:52When you're doing the pots,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55you've got to be focused on what's coming next
0:07:55 > 0:07:59- and I let you go because you was dreaming about something. - Yes, I was, you're right.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03So, the whole lot's gone over the side now in a massive mess.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10This is the first of many lessons Nigel will teach Monty over the coming weeks.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13He must concentrate on the job in hand.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17Fishing is by far the most dangerous civilian occupation in the UK.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Making a mistake at sea could be fatal.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29There are hundreds of small fishing ports dotted around along our coast.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32But most have harbour walls to protect their boats.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Cadgwith is one of the last fishing coves left in the UK.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40The beach and its fleet are exposed to the full force of the sea.
0:08:47 > 0:08:48At the end of the day,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51the boats are safely hauled up above the tide line.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55In the morning, a tractor pushes them back out into the water.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58The Cadgwith skippers share costs and labour.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01If one or two of them were to go out of business,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03the rest of the fleet would struggle to survive.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12As Nigel's apprentice, Monty needs to pull his weight.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15The first task is learning how to work the winch.
0:09:15 > 0:09:22- So, in gear is just flipping it over...?- Yeah, just keep pressing until the dog clutch engage.- Yeah.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25That's the break, that's for when they're pulling the wire down the beach.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28If it's over-running, just put the break on a little bit.
0:09:28 > 0:09:29And now, just go ahead.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33That's all it is.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35And then we go reverse.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- Simple as that.- Smashing.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42- As simple as that.- It's got speed control on it if you wanted.- Yeah.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Only a fool can get it wrong.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49One of the fleet is coming in after a morning at sea.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53Nigel has just grabbed me and said, right, this is my debut pull.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55So, OK, off we go.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Thank you for entrusting me with your boat.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Nice to meet you, by the way, I'm Monty. Nice to meet you, yeah.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17The boat's skipper, Martin Mitchell, is polite but not overly friendly.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Monty will have to prove himself before he is accepted here.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25As well as Nigel and Martin,
0:10:25 > 0:10:28there are five other full-time skippers working off the beach.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33Mark Murphy, John Trewin and Jonathan Tonkin are crabbers,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36setting out long strings of pots like Nigel.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41Louis Mitchell also works pots, but goes exclusively for lobsters.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Danny Phillips is the cove's only full-time netsman.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Right now, he's targeting monkfish.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51Behind the scenes are net maker Luke Stephens
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and fishmonger Jonathan Fletcher.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Monty hopes that by getting to know these men,
0:10:57 > 0:11:02he'll gain some insight into the problems facing all the small-boat fishermen in the UK.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04But as an outsider, he's got a lot to learn.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10I think the word you're looking for is a fish out of water.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14He looked like some celebrity who wasn't going to get his hands dirty,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17or weren't going to do much out the ordinary.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22Like, "I'm a celebrity and you're going to work around me".
0:11:22 > 0:11:24We don't see a lot of newcomers here.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Most of the guys come from the village.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31I suppose it's very much like walking into the dragon's lair.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37The only way Monty will win the fishermen over is by working hard on the beach.
0:11:37 > 0:11:42As well as winching the boats in, he'll have to launch them too,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44so he needs to master the tractor.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58How would it go down if I ruined the tractor?
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Well, I think you would ruin your day and mine.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- I think we'd have to disappear. - We'd have to leave Cadgwith for ever.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08A long time, I think, yeah.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21While Monty is learning his trade,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23he's going to be staying in a converted net loft,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26just around the corner from the beach.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34As I'm sure you can probably tell, it's day one
0:12:34 > 0:12:37and a good thing is I don't stand out as the new boy at all.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Today, he's going to learn about safety at sea.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43And it starts with the kit.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45There's a reason it's bright yellow.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49And it's bright yellow because if you fall in, you can be seen
0:12:49 > 0:12:52and it's incredibly robust and thick.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55This has basically got to last my fishing season.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02- Nigel, good morning.- Oh, my God!
0:13:02 > 0:13:03MONTY LAUGHS
0:13:03 > 0:13:05I knew you'd laugh.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19I should go...go north a minute.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22- Sorry?- Steer north.- Steer north?
0:13:22 > 0:13:25- Yeah, steer north.- You want me to steer north, right now?- Yeah.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27OK, north. So, north would be...
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Cadgwith is there...
0:13:29 > 0:13:32I'll be going straight...that way, isn't it?
0:13:32 > 0:13:33That way? That way.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Go on, keep going.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39HE LAUGHS That way?
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Monty has a lot to learn, and not just about navigation.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Nigel makes him aware of the dangers of the job.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Last week, I done the most stupid thing.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53I was clambering over a load of pots
0:13:53 > 0:13:58to get back here to move them in the boat, to get to the controls there,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02and clambered over the top of the pots, the boat rolled
0:14:02 > 0:14:06and I was now balanced like a seesaw on the pot
0:14:06 > 0:14:07and I thought...
0:14:07 > 0:14:09- I've been doing this a long time. - Slid into the water.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12It's always waiting to happen, you just don't know, you know.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Nets and pots flying around on deck
0:14:17 > 0:14:20and fast-moving machinery are major hazards.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Every fisherman has their own story.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26We was 18 mile off the Lizard
0:14:26 > 0:14:28and we had hydraulic slave at that time,
0:14:28 > 0:14:32like a pot winch always whizzing round,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35and I put my hand, like that, to look over the side of the boat
0:14:35 > 0:14:37and my fingers went on the rope
0:14:37 > 0:14:42and it just went round like that and snapped it off, snapped me arm here.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46I had 50 stitches on me arm...
0:14:49 > 0:14:51..two pins, two plates,
0:14:51 > 0:14:5514 screws to put it all back together again.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Not a very nice thing to have doing to you,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01but I did get a ride in the lifeboat.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03HE LAUGHS
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Every year I'd end up with a rope around my foot
0:15:06 > 0:15:09somewhere along the line.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12It's just cos I suppose I'm doing it SO often
0:15:12 > 0:15:14I get a bit blase over it, possibly.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Often I feel the wind from a floater
0:15:18 > 0:15:22comes over the hauler a bit fast go past me face.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Almost a third of all fatal fishing accidents
0:15:25 > 0:15:28involve crew going overboard.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32The first few seconds of initial shock are by far the most dangerous.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35So if you do go over the side, which is very unlikely,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38but if you do go over the side, it'll be cold
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and you will take a big deep breath first of all,
0:15:41 > 0:15:43but after a second or two, just compose yourself
0:15:43 > 0:15:45and think about what you're going to do next.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48When you go in, how long have you got?
0:15:48 > 0:15:50The water will actually take your life away
0:15:50 > 0:15:5426 times faster than air of the same temperature,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57so without any of this equipment on
0:15:57 > 0:16:00you're talking about...an hour.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Discussing going overboard is one thing.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Nigel wants Monty to experience it for himself.
0:16:06 > 0:16:12I've got this little camera which will give a real fish-eye view
0:16:12 > 0:16:15of what happens when I actually go into the water.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17And here's the crew.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Here we are, all warm dry
0:16:20 > 0:16:23and thoroughly looking forward to me going in!
0:16:23 > 0:16:26- All right, Nige.- All right. - It's been a pleasure!- Good luck.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Right, well, off we go.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46The initial sensation...
0:16:46 > 0:16:48is the gasping
0:16:48 > 0:16:52cos one minute you're warm and you're in control,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54and the next minute
0:16:54 > 0:16:57you get that cold shock, and the cold shock's a killer
0:16:57 > 0:17:02cos you take a breath, it's an involuntary breath as you jump in,
0:17:02 > 0:17:07and that involuntary breath can be a mouthful of water.
0:17:18 > 0:17:19And I can feel...
0:17:19 > 0:17:24the heat leaching away from my body and the cold seeping in.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26So, yeah, pretty unpleasant, really.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Nigel has told Monty to pull his arms and legs into a foetal position
0:17:30 > 0:17:33to minimise heat loss.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36So, what I've got to do now is just curl up in this position.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38It's called the HELP position,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42and it stops heat escaping from your body
0:17:42 > 0:17:45and just let that layer of water sort of heat...
0:17:45 > 0:17:48let my skin heat that layer of water
0:17:48 > 0:17:50and just try and control my breathing.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55Like many small-boat fishermen, Monty will be working alone.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57If he went overboard, the engine would keep running
0:17:57 > 0:18:00and he'd be left helpless.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04And there's the boat heading off, the crew,
0:18:04 > 0:18:08and that's what I'd be looking at. It would be a sickening sensation.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11You'd feel very, very alone.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16The boat coming back - what a great sight, you know?
0:18:17 > 0:18:19- All right, Nige!- I'M fine!
0:18:27 > 0:18:29HE GRUNTS
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Phew!
0:18:39 > 0:18:44- All right, Nige? - You're strong and big.- Yeah.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47I could see you were struggling to get to this boat.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51- I really was struggling.- And you weren't playing, you was struggling.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53I tell you what, there'd be two or three goes of that
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and that would be that - if you didn't make it in, you'd be stuffed.
0:18:56 > 0:19:02I'm just interested to know, what was it like when you first went in the water?
0:19:02 > 0:19:07Definite shock, you know? I think that the big difference for me
0:19:07 > 0:19:10and someone REALLY falling overboard is I was expecting it.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14I was braced for it. But that initial shock, breathlessness...
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Monty gets out of his wet clothes
0:19:17 > 0:19:19and puts on his oilskins to keep warm.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Then it's back to the shore as quickly as possible.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Just as Nige said, you are not going to stay afloat
0:19:26 > 0:19:30wearing that for any length of time without a life jacket -
0:19:30 > 0:19:32just forget it.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39In the last six years, there were almost 1,800 serious accidents
0:19:39 > 0:19:41on UK fishing boats.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44122 vessels were lost at sea.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47And 69 fishermen were killed.
0:19:47 > 0:19:53Yes, I've lost a few people I've known, here in the cove.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57We've lost two or three who we've known and grown up with,
0:19:57 > 0:20:01and we really don't know what happened exactly,
0:20:01 > 0:20:06but the whole place, the whole cove was in total shock.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10If you've been fishing for long enough
0:20:10 > 0:20:15you will unfortunately lose people you know, yep.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21And if you go to any...fisherman
0:20:21 > 0:20:25who's been in the job for lots of years...
0:20:26 > 0:20:29..they will tell you friends they've lost.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33In fishing villages like Cadgwith,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36everyone has lost someone to the sea.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38A friend. A brother.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40A husband. A father.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43The shared grief binds everyone together.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54Hiya. How you doing?
0:20:54 > 0:20:55It's Thursday evening.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59People gather on the beach for a fishing competition.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01So far, Monty has found it difficult
0:21:01 > 0:21:04to integrate himself into the community.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08This is a good opportunity to get to know some of the villagers.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Every other week, Cadgwith's anglers head out to sea
0:21:12 > 0:21:14after a different designated species.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16It's all a bit of fun,
0:21:16 > 0:21:21but whoever gets the biggest fish takes home a cash prize.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26I've been here, you know, a really short period
0:21:26 > 0:21:30and this is the first time I've seen the village turn out for stuff.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33And what I'm hoping, over the course of time,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37is I can get a lot more involved in this sort of thing
0:21:37 > 0:21:39cos that's what Cadgwith's all about,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41that's what binds it together, is that sense of community,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45based around the boats, everything around the boats, you know?
0:21:45 > 0:21:48And how many communities can there be left that are like that in the UK?
0:21:53 > 0:21:58The community in Cadgwith is like a tightknit community, I think.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Everybody looks after everybody
0:22:00 > 0:22:04because you're all almost as in one family.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07The whole thing is sort of focused on this beach
0:22:07 > 0:22:10and the surrounding areas, and every family knows somebody who's fishing
0:22:10 > 0:22:12or has something to do with the beach.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14One of those little pockets
0:22:14 > 0:22:17that have sort of been forgotten by time, I think.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19HE LAUGHS
0:22:19 > 0:22:22You'd struggle to find somewhere
0:22:22 > 0:22:26the same as this place is...now. Years ago, you would have done,
0:22:26 > 0:22:31but we're like one of the last remaining...communities,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34I suppose you could say, you know? Beach community.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39After a few hours, the boats return with their catch.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43This week, everyone's been after cuckoo wrasse.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45You show people this fish
0:22:45 > 0:22:48and they think it's a tropical fish, you know? So beautiful.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52This is a male. The colouration is absolutely gorgeous,
0:22:52 > 0:22:54hence the name cuckoo wrasse.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Really, really beautiful fish.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02This is Danny. Apparently he is "the man".
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Danny Philips may fish all day for a living,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09but that doesn't stop him doing it for fun in his spare time.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16If you're a junior and you've got a cuckoo wrasse, can you bring them to the scales?
0:23:16 > 0:23:21The master of ceremonies is another of the Cadgwith skippers, John Trewin.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24We go onto the seniors event. Very well attended, I might add.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27Excellent, pretty good turn out.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29In first place,
0:23:29 > 0:23:33with his rather large cuckoo wrasse of 12.75 ounces...
0:23:33 > 0:23:37- Danny Philips. - APPLAUSE AND CHEERING
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Though he's enjoyed watching the proceedings,
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Monty hopes to play a much more active role
0:23:43 > 0:23:46in the next competition in a couple of weeks' time.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Monty and Nigel are heading out to check the pots
0:23:59 > 0:24:02to see what's been caught over the past few days.
0:24:02 > 0:24:07One of Monty's priorities is to find out how sustainable fishing is.
0:24:07 > 0:24:12Today he wants to see how Nigel's operation measures up.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Whoa, that's a big old crab! Monster!
0:24:30 > 0:24:34- Well, that's only about 4lb. You can get bigger than that sometimes.- Cor!
0:24:36 > 0:24:38- That's a female...hen crab.- Right.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Nige has obviously just got the eye
0:24:42 > 0:24:45and he can see straight away whether it's of a size. I can't.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49So, one thing I certainly don't want to do is be taking undersized crabs.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53- He's too small. - He's too small, thank you!
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Unlike many fish species,
0:24:55 > 0:24:57there are currently no quotas
0:24:57 > 0:25:00or catch limits for crab and lobster.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03- So, that one there is well under. - Well under.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06But there are controls on what size of animal you can land.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Anything too small, and therefore too young to have reproduced,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12goes back in the sea, as do egg-bearing females.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17- Spider crab. That's a female, so that can go back.- Go back.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- That one's just big enough, look. - Unlucky, fella.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24It's definitely one of the things
0:25:24 > 0:25:27that attracts me to this style of fishing...
0:25:27 > 0:25:29is that the vast... Ow!
0:25:29 > 0:25:32..is that the vast majority of what you catch -
0:25:32 > 0:25:37even if it doesn't appreciate it - goes back in.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40And of course, this is the stock of the future, you know? Ow!
0:25:40 > 0:25:43- Better get you a pair of gloves! - Yeah, I think so.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45For spider crabs in particular!
0:25:47 > 0:25:51And the good thing about chucking these animals back
0:25:51 > 0:25:53is they're not damaged when they go back.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56The only thing that's being damaged here is me!
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Monty is a marine biologist,
0:26:01 > 0:26:05more used to studying life in the sea than trying to catch it.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07He's finding it difficult
0:26:07 > 0:26:10to come to terms with his new role as a fisherman.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14I really did struggle initially,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17when I was hauling up animals that otherwise I would be looking at,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20I'd be taking photographs of, I'd be enjoying on a dive,
0:26:20 > 0:26:21I'd be showing to people on a dive.
0:26:21 > 0:26:27'But now...I think, as long as I buy seafood and eat fish
0:26:27 > 0:26:31'then I need to understand what's going on out there in the fishing,
0:26:31 > 0:26:33'the harsh reality of it.'
0:26:33 > 0:26:36And the more I see, the more at ease I am
0:26:36 > 0:26:39with what goes on here in Cadgwith in terms of the fleet.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Potting for crabs and lobsters from such a small boat
0:26:45 > 0:26:47will have a minimal impact on the environment.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51It's the perfect start before Monty moves on
0:26:51 > 0:26:54to investigate other, less sustainable, forms of fishing.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59The last pot they're going to haul today is a very valuable one.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01This is the bank, basically.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04This is where I keep them alive until I sell them. Two or three days.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09So, you can put those in the store pod if you want.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12We tend to treat lobsters quietly instead of just dropping them in...
0:27:12 > 0:27:16- Oh, right.- ..cos they will shoot their claws off if they're upset.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19- I see, I see.- And you can see the shape of them, look.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21See the shape of the lobster?
0:27:21 > 0:27:25- It's probably better putting them in that way round.- Got you. Yeah.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27And this, what you've got in there, Nige,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31how much cash would that get you and then after your costs are taken out?
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Probably 30 pounds of lobster there,
0:27:34 > 0:27:37that's 180 quid's worth of lobster, possibly.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40And you've obviously got the wear and tear of the pots,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43the boat, you've got diesel which is expensive,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46although this boat really doesn't burn a lot of diesel.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Yeah, there's bait and everything else,
0:27:48 > 0:27:53so you know, if I come away with 100 quid then I'm doing quite well, really.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56After covering their costs,
0:27:56 > 0:28:01many small-boat fishermen are lucky to earn £15,000 a year.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05This is very little return for such hard, dangerous work.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09It's clear that Cadgwith men go fishing for other reasons.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13The excitement, anticipation.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17When I wake up in the morning to go and get the pots,
0:28:17 > 0:28:19I aren't actually waking up and wondering
0:28:19 > 0:28:22how much money I'm going to get at the end of the day.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24I'm excited, still, after all these years,
0:28:24 > 0:28:29to see what are in the pots that I put down a couple of days before,
0:28:29 > 0:28:34and I actually can't really wait to get there to see what's in them.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38It's a way of life more than just a job.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42Um...
0:28:42 > 0:28:46I'd probably say it's a way of life first and a job second.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50It's a way of life that may be coming to an end.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53Over the last 18 years,
0:28:53 > 0:28:58almost 40% of small British fishing boats went out of business.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02If we lose our inshore fleet, we lose our most sustainable fishermen.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07Nigel has dealt with the financial pressures of the job
0:29:07 > 0:29:10by diversifying.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13In summer, he takes tourists out on Razorbill.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15In winter, he retires to his shed.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18He's one of the last people in Britain
0:29:18 > 0:29:20to make traditional lobster pots.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24And he paints pictures of boats at sea.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28The money he makes selling these crafts has kept him going through lean times.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31If you sort of notice, they all point the right way,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33to me they're always coming home.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35It's just nice that everything gets home
0:29:35 > 0:29:39and everyone's in the harbour... and everyone's safe and sound.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42- That's quite atmospheric, isn't it? - That's a very early one.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45And the gun metal skies and... as you say, heading home.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49And just one more thing, you got any money on you?
0:29:49 > 0:29:52I think I've got some loose change.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56- Just something small, really. - Credit card?
0:29:56 > 0:30:01- There we go, 50p.- 50p, brilliant. Here's a little present for you.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04- Mate, thank you.- It's a tradition, you've got to put some silver
0:30:04 > 0:30:07in somebody's hand if you give them a present of a knife.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11It's a superstitious thing - if you don't it will break your friendship.
0:30:11 > 0:30:16- Oh, really?- So, provided we're going to be mates for a good while...
0:30:16 > 0:30:18Yeah, that's really kind.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21As well as being the most dangerous job in the UK,
0:30:21 > 0:30:23fishing is also the most superstitious.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27It is a big thing in the fishing world, people do take it seriously,
0:30:27 > 0:30:32and one of the first ones, which is probably fairly unlikely, if you see
0:30:32 > 0:30:35a man of the cloth or a vicar in the morning,
0:30:35 > 0:30:38you don't go to sea on that day.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42Of course, the famous one of the sort of underground racehorses...
0:30:42 > 0:30:45- Right.- ..with the long ears... You just don't mention...
0:30:45 > 0:30:50Even actually taking a pasty to sea is bad luck.
0:30:50 > 0:30:55With underground racehorses, basically you're talking about...
0:30:55 > 0:30:58- rabbits.- Oh, my God!
0:30:58 > 0:31:01You've got most of it right, just don't mention that word again
0:31:01 > 0:31:02while you're with me.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Oh, my God.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Monty is up early,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14and for once he makes it down to the beach before Nigel.
0:31:14 > 0:31:20It's 6:28 in the morning and it's the calm before the storm, really.
0:31:20 > 0:31:26It's just a little bit rougher than it's been previously.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28It's just kind of kicked up, hasn't it?
0:31:28 > 0:31:31It's all right here. It's when you get out there.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34Perhaps we'll go and see what we can do
0:31:34 > 0:31:36and if we've got to abandon, we will until tomorrow.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50When they get out to sea, it's much worse than it looked from the shore.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Mont, we're looking for a football, or two footballs.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03Two footballs, no worries.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06Uh...yellow and blue.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Nigel is going to teach Monty how to catch spider crabs
0:32:11 > 0:32:14with a tangle net.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18Basically the nets acted as a curtain across the sea floor
0:32:18 > 0:32:21and the spider crabs, particularly at this time of year,
0:32:21 > 0:32:24move across in quite substantial numbers
0:32:24 > 0:32:26and they just get tangled in the net.
0:32:26 > 0:32:31So many different factors, as ever, involved with all this...
0:32:31 > 0:32:36Time, tide, are the crabs moving, the strata that it's laid on,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40loads of loads of stuff going on here.
0:32:40 > 0:32:46There's a lot more to it than just chucking down a net and a bunch of crabs walk into it.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57Look at that - big, beautiful male spider crab.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00And it's not a species we eat in this country, it's crazy.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05Very, very abundant, they're not threatened
0:33:05 > 0:33:08and they're absolutely delicious.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Almost all the spider crabs landed in the UK
0:33:10 > 0:33:13are shipped to the Continent.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15The British public has yet to develop a taste
0:33:15 > 0:33:17for this plentiful species.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23Quite interesting working... You know, obviously the boat's
0:33:23 > 0:33:27rocking and rolling and you're looking down all the time.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36They do say the best way to avoid seasickness is go and sit under a tree.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42- You've never been seasick? - No, never been seasick.
0:33:42 > 0:33:43You're so lucky.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48Monty has suffered from seasickness in the past.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50So far, he's OK, but it could be a problem
0:33:50 > 0:33:53when the weather gets rougher.
0:33:54 > 0:33:55The wind's picking up,
0:33:55 > 0:33:59so Nigel decides to head in and finish the job tomorrow.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03It isn't very nice here, so... I mean, it isn't horrendous weather,
0:34:03 > 0:34:06- but it's poor enough for a small boat, really.- Yeah.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11This kind of fishing may have minimal impact on marine life,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14but you're totally at the mercy of the weather.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Stormy seas mean no work... and no pay.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24Rough weather has little effect on the biggest fishing boats -
0:34:24 > 0:34:26the super-trawlers.
0:34:27 > 0:34:32Big boats make up less than 10% of the UK's fishing fleet,
0:34:32 > 0:34:36but they're responsible for almost 80% of the seafood landed on our shores.
0:34:36 > 0:34:41Thousands of litres of fuel are burnt on every trip and, for every tonne of fish brought to market,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44it's estimated that as many as three tonnes are
0:34:44 > 0:34:46thrown back into the sea.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52The contrast between our small, inshore boats
0:34:52 > 0:34:56and our large, deep-sea ones couldn't be more stark.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59As well as being a more sustainable way of fishing,
0:34:59 > 0:35:02our inshore fleet is also a link to our past.
0:35:02 > 0:35:07Fishermen have been launching off Cadgwith Beach for 700 years or more.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11The walls of the village pub are covered with old photographs,
0:35:11 > 0:35:15a testament to the cove's ancient fishing traditions.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17When you was brought up in a place like this,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20and remember, life was different then, there was no transport,
0:35:20 > 0:35:25you was just sort of expected to join the navy or go fishing.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27What else are you going to do?
0:35:27 > 0:35:33I mean, do you want to have them all stacking shelves somewhere or all on the dole?
0:35:34 > 0:35:37It was just something that you knew you was going to do,
0:35:37 > 0:35:43so when we'd all get on the school bus to go to school, sometimes we'd hide behind the bus shelter
0:35:43 > 0:35:49and the bus would drive off without us and then we'd whizz down the hill and go fishing for the day
0:35:49 > 0:35:54and come home with smelly clothes on and pretend we'd been to school,
0:35:54 > 0:35:58but I think Mother and Father knew where I'd been really, but...
0:36:03 > 0:36:06In recent decades, the fabric of Cadgwith has changed
0:36:06 > 0:36:08as more and more outsiders have settled here.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13How do you feel about that, sort of people moving in from outside and...
0:36:13 > 0:36:16Well, I'm sort of quite pleased, to be quite honest,
0:36:16 > 0:36:20because it's just nice to have different views on things.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23The one thing Cadgwith done that lots of places didn't do,
0:36:23 > 0:36:27we actually absorbed youngsters coming in.
0:36:27 > 0:36:32- Lots of places haven't and they've gone, finished.- Yeah.- And they're a great bonus to the community.
0:36:32 > 0:36:37I mean, without that young influx of people, especially with children,
0:36:37 > 0:36:41lots of things wouldn't continue and wouldn't happen, you know,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44so no, it's brilliant, really. Love it.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56Nigel and Monty head out to finish hauling the tangle net.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Monty hopes that by learning how to fish
0:36:58 > 0:37:02he'll gain a better understanding of the wider industry.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05But at the moment he's struggling to master
0:37:05 > 0:37:10even the simplest of tasks, like pulling spider crabs from the net.
0:37:10 > 0:37:16It's this...this inefficiency that's going to be a problem for me later on.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19See, Nige, you know, he's working so quickly there
0:37:19 > 0:37:22and I'm working as quick as I can, but...
0:37:22 > 0:37:24just nothing like as efficiently,
0:37:24 > 0:37:27and surely that will have an impact
0:37:27 > 0:37:31on how many I can effectively catch later on.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37It's been a kind of five, six hours of good solid hard work.
0:37:37 > 0:37:42How much do you think all that work has brought in, or would bring in?
0:37:42 > 0:37:45How much is that worth? 130, 140 quid?
0:37:45 > 0:37:47130, 140 quid, right, right.
0:37:47 > 0:37:55- Less diesel, less nets, less bait. - Yeah, so probably more like 80, 90.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59Yeah, probably. But then, you know, next week, who knows,
0:37:59 > 0:38:04I could be out here, fine weather, four or five bins, couple of turbot, monk.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08You just don't know, really. That is the bit that keeps you going, really.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14Monty has been reassured by how environmentally friendly
0:38:14 > 0:38:15small-boat fishing is.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18But is it viable as a business?
0:38:18 > 0:38:21As well as low returns, inshore fishermen have to deal with
0:38:21 > 0:38:24more and more government restrictions.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27This is going to be a tough year for the Cadgwith skippers.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31Bit of a worrying time, to be honest.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35It is, because it's very much... everything's up in the air.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39None of us really know what's around the corner.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42I don't think the legislators
0:38:42 > 0:38:46really know which way it's going to go. They don't...
0:38:46 > 0:38:49This is very glib, but they don't seem to have a clue about any of it.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53I don't think they understand the way that fishermen are.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57We're all waiting with bated breath, to be honest,
0:38:57 > 0:39:00for the government's next announcement.
0:39:00 > 0:39:05Coping with what is going on is overwhelming, quite literally,
0:39:05 > 0:39:09for somebody who just wants to go fishing.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12Well, I'd never even heard of a quota when we used to go fishing.
0:39:12 > 0:39:16You'd just fish away, catch as much as you like. Yep.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18So, in that respect, it's changed dramatically.
0:39:18 > 0:39:23The old men wouldn't have this. They wouldn't like this at all.
0:39:23 > 0:39:24It's a tricky time,
0:39:24 > 0:39:27and it's going to be for another few more years yet.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34Monty hopes to be running Razorbill himself in a week or so.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37But he won't be totally on his own.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39Nigel will be looking out for him,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42as he does for all the other fishermen in the cove.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45You know, right now Danny and John are out to sea,
0:39:45 > 0:39:47I know they're out to sea.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50It's always in your mind that they're out to sea
0:39:50 > 0:39:54and if I'm at home I'll put the walkie-talkie radio on
0:39:54 > 0:39:56and I'll often give Danny a shout,
0:39:56 > 0:40:01cos he's quite late sometimes coming in with his red mullet nets and that,
0:40:01 > 0:40:07and I just say, "Just give me a shout when you're going into the cove, Dan, I'll turn this off,"
0:40:07 > 0:40:12and he'll just quickly say, "All right, Nige, just going into the cove, see you tomorrow." Cos I...
0:40:12 > 0:40:15It's got to be like that.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17I probably do fuss around a bit after them,
0:40:17 > 0:40:20but, you know, that's just the way it is, really.
0:40:20 > 0:40:26All the fishermen are ready to help one another at a moment's notice.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30This is one of the reasons why Cadgwith has such a strong sense of identity.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Fishing is more than just a job here.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35It's the village's heart and soul.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39Can we afford to lose these communities?
0:40:39 > 0:40:43Once they're gone, they'll never come back again.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46These places, even for the holiday trade, are just priceless.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48- Yeah.- It's what people come for.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51The amount of people who say to me when I'm doing boat trips,
0:40:51 > 0:40:56"Nige, you know, just do one thing - don't ever change it,
0:40:56 > 0:41:00"keep it as it is. You don't realise what you've got."
0:41:02 > 0:41:05Life in Cornwall is not as idyllic as it looks.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08The decline of the fishing and mining industries
0:41:08 > 0:41:10have left it the poorest county in England.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13As people move away from Cornwall to find work,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16second-homers and tourists are taking their place.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18Half of the houses in the cove
0:41:18 > 0:41:22are only occupied for a few months of the year.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26If the fishing boats were to go, Cadgwith could become
0:41:26 > 0:41:30little more than a theme park, busy in summer, deserted in winter.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39Monty is more than two weeks into his apprenticeship.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42If he's going to take Razorbill out alone,
0:41:42 > 0:41:45he'll need to know where all the hazards are in the fishing grounds.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49Nearly low water now, it's the worst time for rocks.
0:41:49 > 0:41:50You'll see there, look.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57Look at that hidden hazard there. Just another foot of water
0:41:57 > 0:41:59and you ain't going to see that at all.
0:41:59 > 0:42:04Nige is consulting this...this chart that he has in his head,
0:42:04 > 0:42:09having worked this coastline, you know, for decades and decades,
0:42:09 > 0:42:14and I've just got to try and mentally note where all this stuff is.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23Certainly full of something. Oh, not a bad lobster.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25Bang on.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46Go on, let her go.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53Once again, he's inches away from getting snagged in the rope.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56This is one of the areas I'm concerned about.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00I can Riverdance my way out of trouble only so often, you know.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05Going overboard with one of these attached to your ankle
0:43:05 > 0:43:07is no laughing matter.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13One of the pots contains a good-sized lobster...
0:43:13 > 0:43:14but this one will be going back.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18That's a berried hen lobster.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20That is the future of the business.
0:43:20 > 0:43:25Female lobsters can carry as many as 40,000 eggs under their tail.
0:43:25 > 0:43:29To protect future stocks, landing such animals has been made illegal.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33The fishermen have come up with an additional conservation measure.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35Berried hens are notched,
0:43:35 > 0:43:38and they can't be landed until the mark grows out in three years' time,
0:43:38 > 0:43:42giving them plenty of time to flood the sea with their eggs.
0:43:42 > 0:43:46There. So, back she goes. Good luck, young lady.
0:43:49 > 0:43:52A large fish has swum into one of the pots.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54And it's not happy.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58- What's this, Mont?- Dogfish! Bull huss, big one as well.
0:44:02 > 0:44:07They're one of the few sharks that can bite their own tail.
0:44:07 > 0:44:11Look at that, the power! Good grief.
0:44:11 > 0:44:15- And you don't keep these, do you, Nige?- No, I don't keep them.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18Look at that, amazing! Let's get her back.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21Beautiful.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23Go on, then, fella, back you go!
0:44:27 > 0:44:30- It's just a scratch! - A mere flesh wound!
0:44:30 > 0:44:32A mere flesh wound.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37There is that real sense as you haul the pot up,
0:44:37 > 0:44:41until it lands on the side, you don't know what's going to be in it.
0:44:41 > 0:44:45And that's something quite basic in you, I think,
0:44:45 > 0:44:47the sort of hunting side of you.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50And we've all got it, in some shape or form.
0:45:05 > 0:45:08It's Saturday. No-one is going fishing.
0:45:08 > 0:45:11But Monty's come out on the water.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14He's going to dive on a string of Nigel's pots.
0:45:14 > 0:45:16He hopes that seeing what's happening on the seabed
0:45:16 > 0:45:19will help him be a better fisherman on the surface.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26Nigel's never seen his pots underwater
0:45:26 > 0:45:30so he's going to watch the dive as it happens from a live link-up to the surface.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35The first pot of the string is on sandy floor,
0:45:35 > 0:45:37which is good for crabs,
0:45:37 > 0:45:41which come onto soft ground to dig for crustaceans and molluscs.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08Mind your fingers cos they're in the water now,
0:46:08 > 0:46:10that's where they actually live, so they might nip you.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16He's looking big from here.
0:46:25 > 0:46:29- What do you think? - Yeah, go on, Mont, let him go.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33Late spring is the beginning of the crab and lobster season
0:46:33 > 0:46:36in southern Cornwall. As inshore waters warm,
0:46:36 > 0:46:39these cold-blooded animals become more active.
0:46:39 > 0:46:42To harvest them, Monty needs to make sure he puts his pots
0:46:42 > 0:46:44and nets in the right places.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56Monty follows the long string, from sand to a kelp-covered reef.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15The rocky seabed is perfect lobster habitat.
0:47:15 > 0:47:17During the day, they hide in crevices,
0:47:17 > 0:47:21emerging at night to feed on starfish, urchins and crustaceans,
0:47:21 > 0:47:25sometimes roaming six miles or more from their burrows.
0:47:27 > 0:47:32The overriding impression is that despite being fished for hundreds of years,
0:47:32 > 0:47:35this is a very healthy marine environment.
0:47:35 > 0:47:39It is living proof of the low-impact fishing carried out by Nigel
0:47:39 > 0:47:41and the rest of the Cadgwith fleet.
0:47:44 > 0:47:47- How did it look, Nige?- Brilliant. - Really?- Yeah, brilliant.
0:47:47 > 0:47:51Don't expect this all the time, though!
0:48:00 > 0:48:03On shore, it's Monty's responsibility
0:48:03 > 0:48:05to keep Razorbill shipshape.
0:48:05 > 0:48:09And today, Nigel's also asked him to clean out the cold room,
0:48:09 > 0:48:11where fish and ice are stored.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14This is by far the most menial job in the cove.
0:48:17 > 0:48:21In I go, through the curtains of stench.
0:48:24 > 0:48:26Whew!
0:48:35 > 0:48:37One of the things about doing jobs like this -
0:48:37 > 0:48:40I realise I'm bottom of the food chain in Cadgwith,
0:48:40 > 0:48:42of course, I'm the new boy, the apprentice.
0:48:42 > 0:48:45And being bottom of the food chain means that
0:48:45 > 0:48:48people are teaching me all the time out there.
0:48:48 > 0:48:51And I'm seeing a whole new face of the sea,
0:48:51 > 0:48:55and a whole new face of men of the sea, fishermen.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58And it's great, you know.
0:48:58 > 0:49:02And if I've got to do the odd job like this, it's not a problem
0:49:02 > 0:49:06because I'm getting some real gems out there, picking up some real gems.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14Monty's coming to the end of his apprenticeship,
0:49:14 > 0:49:19but there's still so much to learn, like what to do if the engine fails.
0:49:19 > 0:49:21So, what are we going to do now?
0:49:21 > 0:49:24First thing, stick the anchor down, probably.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27- That's what we do. You stick the anchor down.- Right.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30Just sort of quick as you can, Mont.
0:49:30 > 0:49:34Imagine doing this when the boat's rocking and that rock is getting closer
0:49:34 > 0:49:38and all you can hear is the snarling and crackling of the waves! My God, you'd move.
0:49:40 > 0:49:44And Nigel teaches him how to navigate, even in the densest fog.
0:49:47 > 0:49:49You would tell me if I look ridiculous?
0:49:49 > 0:49:52- I will tell you before we hit the rocks as well.- Right.
0:49:52 > 0:49:56His steering skills are tested in the tightest of spots.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03He learns the tricks of the trade. Use old, smelly bait for lobsters,
0:50:03 > 0:50:07fresh bait for crabs, and how the tide affects both prey species.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24It's the next round of the Cadgwith angling competition.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27Monty has been invited onto Danny Philip's boat.
0:50:27 > 0:50:31A minor breakthrough in his efforts to get to know the other fishermen.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33The target species is plaice,
0:50:33 > 0:50:37and Monty has invested in some state of the art gear.
0:50:42 > 0:50:44I wish you'd stop following us!
0:50:47 > 0:50:51Do you enjoy this, Danny, the old angling as opposed to fishing?
0:50:51 > 0:50:55Yeah, I love it. I never used to, but I'm getting into it now.
0:50:55 > 0:50:58Rumour has it you get very excited if you catch a big one.
0:50:58 > 0:51:01Now and again. I have been known to get excited.
0:51:01 > 0:51:04I believe the expression "dancing a jig" was used.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07Do you feel like, is the honour of the boat at stake,
0:51:07 > 0:51:09or is it just a bit of fun?
0:51:09 > 0:51:13Just a bit of fun, yeah, yeah.
0:51:13 > 0:51:14That's the way to catch them.
0:51:14 > 0:51:17They're good-sized mackerel, aren't they?
0:51:17 > 0:51:19DANNY CHUCKLES
0:51:20 > 0:51:26They catch mackerel, dogfish, gurnard, but still no plaice.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29There we go, it's all over.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32We've given up and we're going home, basically.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55John Trewin takes centre stage to announce the results.
0:51:55 > 0:51:59And in fourth place... no pun intended!
0:52:01 > 0:52:04It's been a great evening, I've really enjoyed it.
0:52:04 > 0:52:09I'm constantly amazed at the turnout for these events in Cadgwith.
0:52:09 > 0:52:12- This week's winner, Jeff Lee! - APPLAUSE AND CHEERING
0:52:15 > 0:52:19For me personally tonight, it's really nice.
0:52:19 > 0:52:21Last time two weeks ago, I stood on this beach
0:52:21 > 0:52:24and I watched the fleet disappear and I felt a bit shy,
0:52:24 > 0:52:27I didn't want to ask one of the fishermen if I could join them.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29Here we are two weeks later
0:52:29 > 0:52:31and Danny said, "Right, you're on my boat, fella."
0:52:31 > 0:52:34That's great, it's really nice to gradually feel
0:52:34 > 0:52:38that you're becoming part of Cadgwith and part of something a bit special.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43But Monty has a long way to go before he's fully accepted.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45If he wants to be respected here,
0:52:45 > 0:52:49he needs to take a fishing boat out to sea on his own.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05Monty has been Nigel's apprentice for almost a month.
0:53:05 > 0:53:09Now he's going to be put to the test.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12He's going to run the boat and haul all the gear
0:53:12 > 0:53:14while Nigel assesses his performance.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21At first, Monty struggles.
0:53:21 > 0:53:25It's a lot harder without someone else to steer and to lend a hand.
0:53:28 > 0:53:29This time, this time.
0:53:36 > 0:53:40I didn't realise, Nige, how much you're doing this when you do them,
0:53:40 > 0:53:42and I'm like, I've got to switch that off
0:53:42 > 0:53:46and then I've got to go over here, and I've got to cower back here!
0:53:46 > 0:53:52But he hauls all the pots without incident, and Nigel seems pleased.
0:53:52 > 0:53:57One of the other skippers from the cove, Dominic, comes alongside.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00Hiya, Dom. Ha! I know!
0:54:00 > 0:54:03- I'm going to go and haul nets with Dominic now.- Right.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06So, lobster's got to go in the store pot.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08- No problem. - Tie the lid up properly,
0:54:08 > 0:54:13put the bait away, and look after it.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16Suddenly Razorbill feels like a big empty space.
0:54:17 > 0:54:21It seems that Monty has passed the test.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24Nigel is confident he can run the boat single-handed.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28From now on, he's on his own.
0:54:28 > 0:54:29Here we are.
0:54:29 > 0:54:31This is a whole new world, it really is.
0:54:37 > 0:54:41'I felt really keen, actually, to get out there on my own
0:54:41 > 0:54:44'and give it a crack, but I think the confidence
0:54:44 > 0:54:46'that I had all came from Nige.
0:54:46 > 0:54:51'It was a person of immense knowledge and immense experience
0:54:51 > 0:54:54'turning to you and saying, "You're ready now,
0:54:54 > 0:54:57'"I trust you're going to be OK out there,"
0:54:57 > 0:54:59'then I knew I'd be all right.'
0:55:03 > 0:55:06I've never seen her out there with not me in it before,
0:55:06 > 0:55:09so it is very strange!
0:55:09 > 0:55:11He's bound to have a tangle or two,
0:55:11 > 0:55:14happens to everybody, it's just one of these things.
0:55:14 > 0:55:16Monty has been given one simple job,
0:55:16 > 0:55:19to put the lobsters in the store pot.
0:55:19 > 0:55:24- But first, he hauls up someone else's pot.- Buffoon, not this one.
0:55:27 > 0:55:31- In you go, old fella.- And then after getting the right pot,
0:55:31 > 0:55:34he leaves it in the water with its lines tangled.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37The football's just under the surface, so I'll nip round
0:55:37 > 0:55:42and just recover her, and try and untangle that line.
0:55:44 > 0:55:47Nigel would have real problems finding it again,
0:55:47 > 0:55:49and could lose a lot of money.
0:55:49 > 0:55:53That was lucky, wasn't it? Just managed to get hold of it.
0:55:53 > 0:55:55There we are, just got a bit tangled there.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00That's the very first thing I've done on my own in this boat,
0:56:00 > 0:56:02and I nearly messed it up.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11Nigel's lessons are over.
0:56:11 > 0:56:14Now it's up to Monty to learn from his own mistakes.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30Before he can start fishing on his own,
0:56:30 > 0:56:33Monty has got to pick up his pots from a supplier on the north coast.
0:56:40 > 0:56:47I'm here for one reason, and that's to understand fishing
0:56:47 > 0:56:50and fishermen and the impact that has on the ocean.
0:56:50 > 0:56:55And I've had an amazing month with Nige, I've learnt so much,
0:56:55 > 0:56:59but the real acid test comes in the next month
0:56:59 > 0:57:02when I try to do it myself.
0:57:02 > 0:57:04And I can use that as a launch point
0:57:04 > 0:57:08to go off and find out more about the industry,
0:57:08 > 0:57:11I can use it as a reference, the stuff I've done at Cadgwith,
0:57:11 > 0:57:16to see the bigger picture, and that was the whole idea when I turned up in the first place.
0:57:16 > 0:57:20Monty's learnt a lot over the past month,
0:57:20 > 0:57:23and not just about working at sea.
0:57:23 > 0:57:25He's seen how small boats can fish sustainably.
0:57:25 > 0:57:28But now he wants to find out more about the pressures
0:57:28 > 0:57:31facing our inshore fleet.
0:57:31 > 0:57:34Why are so many skippers struggling?
0:57:34 > 0:57:36And can anything be done to help them?
0:57:36 > 0:57:40Next time, Monty experiences some of the harsh realities
0:57:40 > 0:57:43of life as a fisherman.
0:57:43 > 0:57:47You know, very sobering about how much I've still got to learn.
0:57:47 > 0:57:52I'm working incredibly hard, but I'm knackered, I'm not even close.
0:57:52 > 0:57:57And his mission is put in serious doubt by some rough weather,
0:57:57 > 0:57:58and a weak stomach.
0:57:58 > 0:58:01HE RETCHES
0:58:05 > 0:58:07Try not to spew over the fish.