Traditional Fishing Boats Of Europe

The first history of traditional fishing boats of Europe.

The definitive volume on Britains traditional fishing boats, by the author of Herring: A History of the Silver Darlings.

Enjoy a presentation of delightful traditions shown in Malaysian fishing boats. This book provides an overview of unique design features, typical designs, survey measurements as well as dozens of color photographs. This investigation, which was part of a boat design project, was awarded the Middlesex University Goulding Prize for Professional Excellence. The richness of the maritime tradition in Southeast Asia is difficult to equal anywhere in the world. With large populations and ready access to the sea, the vessels which allowed populations to harvest the sea's bounty have an important history. Due to the Malaysian peninsula being the southernmost projection of continental Asia and a subsequent obstacle to sea trade, peninsular Malaysia became subject to the trading histories of great civilizations from Indian, Arabic, and European to the west and Chinese to the east. Peninsular Malaysia is referred to in many ancient texts and archaeological finds connecting the region to sea trade, most prominently as the southern trade route between China and the Indian subcontinent. The construction of these boats is fascinating. Traditional Malaysian boats are normally built without drawings and from the shipworm and rot resistant hardwood chengal. The keel, stem, and stern are made from massive timbers into which are carved receiving surfaces for the rest of the framework. The planks are bent either by the simple application of force using clamps or by heating them with fire. The planks are fastened to internal frames. On the east coast the planks are connected using trunnels (dowels) typically made from iron wood. This joining technique is also coupled with a traditional method of sealing the planks in which a layer of melaleuca tree bark is pushed over the trunnels. Adjoining planks are hammered over these trunnels. In contrast to this traditional technique, plank sealing is produced on the west coast and some areas of the east coast, by pressing rope between the planks. The boats have distinctive bow and stern features as well as a myriad of delightful idiosyncrasies that make them special.

This book offers a comprehensive account of the status and dynamics of people participating in the small-scale fisheries (SSF) of Europe. It covers the situation of SSF in 25 coastal countries, thereby providing a portrait of almost every coastal country on the continent and analyzing the recent evolution of the sector. Small-scale fisheries are argued to be extremely important in Europe, as they provide employment and welfare, while increasing food sovereignty and maintaining communities in coastal areas. The recent worldwide focus on SSF derives from their environmental sustainability, which distinguishes many of their activities from those of large-scale fisheries. This book analyses the diversity of SSF and shows how fishing communities have sometimes developed successful governing models, demonstrating social and economic resilience. While the book emphasizes the strengths of SSF and the synergies that occur with other marine sectors, it also presents cases of failure, in which collective action and policy have actually contributed to a weakening of the sector. In this context, the book shows how governmental policies toward SSF vary considerably from country to country, in a way that is not entirely consistent with European policies.

For centuries Britain's commercial fishermen have ventured out into the ravages of the surrounding seas to bring fish back both to supply a home market and for export around the world. Fishing is one of history's most dangerous jobs, and when disasters occur they can affect whole communities: in 1872 some 129 men were lost in one night alone. Fishermen have lost their lives because of extreme weather, fishing gear entanglement, lack of emergency support and often simply by falling overboard. Today, commercial fishing remains one of the most perilous occupations and still claims the lives of fishermen each year, leaving their families behind. The Perilous Catch is a well-researched, comprehensive and poignant history of the fishing industry written by maritime historian Mike Smylie.

This is a brief introduction to the history of Elmina, its castle, the people, and their traditions. It outlines the towns 500-year relations with Europeans, highlighting the transformations that have developed out of these interactions. Written by one of the top historians of Ghana and a leading scholar of the African diaspora, the book is based on original archival information and orally-derived sources. It is also richly informed by the writers own personal knowledge as a Nyampa Safohen and citizen of Elmina. Despite the tremendous changes engendered by the European contact, Elminas historical development demonstrates an amazing degree of cultural continuity and resilience in its political institutions, social organization, economic systems and worldview.

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which the fishing industry from Duncansby Head to the Solway Firth has changed and developed over the last century.