Trawler Disasters 1946-1975

Covering the whole of the UK, from Northern Scotland to the South Coast. The loss of many ships and men is detailed in Trawler Disasters. Fishing is Britain's deadliest industry and many thousands have died in the pursuit of cod, herring, haddock, mackerel and a host of other fish so that we can feast on them. Perhaps the most famous of recent disasters was the loss of the Gaul, a Hull-based trawler, which disappeared in the Arctic in February 1974. Its story has become one of conspiracy theory, espionage and cover-up and it wasn't until the wreck was found and investigated that many of these theories were laid to rest. Patricia O'Driscoll and John Nicklin tell the story of the tragic losses of a multitude of ships which were lost in the period from the end of the War until the Cod War, a time when Britain's bountiful seas were being opened to foreign competition after the nation joined the EEC. Fishing once employed over half a million people in the UK and its recent history is one of decline. It is still a story of tragedy as men still die and boats are still lost to the elements. Each tragedy hits a port hard, with everyone feeling the loss of one of their own. From the East Coast to the West, from Northern Scotland to Southern England, no part of Britain's coast has been immune to the loss of a fishing boat and its crew.

Patricia O'Driscoll has spent a lifetime reporting the fishing industry, including editing The East Coast Digest.John Nicklin, retired from the sea to write this book, telling the story of the men and boats lost.