Fishing, fishermen and fishing communities have always provided a rich source of narrative for artists, writers and filmmakers. Over the years generations have enjoyed a visual feast of creative output devoted to the fishing industry and the characters within, from Ealing Studios' Johnny Frenchman, various Pathé News and Post Office information shorts, the 1980s drama Heather Anne starring Susan Penhaligan and then the documentary, The Skipper, which charted the life of legendary beam, trawl skipper Roger Nowell. More recently TV channels have brought more gritty realism to our screens with Trawler Wars and The Catch which featured the ups and downs of the netting fleet in Newlyn.
Last night, Mevagissey was the first port of call for BBC2's opening programme of six that takes a close look at the wide variety of fishing communities that are one of the main reasons millions of tourists are drawn to the unique county every year...
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| Luke Pavey filming at Newlyn |
boats in the Mevagissey fleet like Dave Warwick's Valhalla...
and the growing number of young skippers in the port like Jack West aboard the Anne Louise...
carefully contrasted against wise old hands like Malcolm Saunders who've wrung more seawater from his sea-boot socks than most...
the port, bucking the trend in decline seen in many bigger ports now boasts nearly fifty working fishing vessels...
but ashore, times have changed in the port and as Malcolm said, "at one time I knew 75% of the people in the village, now it's the other way round" - tourism, tourists and second or holiday home owners have changed the dynamic of the village and forced up house prices hugely so many fishermen are forced to live 'up the hill' in affordable houses overlooking the harbour...
all of which was the subject for Mark Jenkin's superb and dark at times short film Bait, which having been showcased at several major film festivals in Europe and the USA and given high praise by the likes of TV and film critic Mark Kermode who cited it as "one of the defining films of the decade" is now up for not one but two BAFTA awards!
Proof, if it was ever needed, over the importance of maintaining a vibrant fishing industry not only the future of fishing communities but also for the millions of tourists visiting Cornwall and for creative people to continue to draw on (or paint, film or photograph) for many years to come.