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Female Fishermen: Beyond the Buoys

Britain’s boats need crew, and three young women – Brooke, Erin and Emma – are stepping up. Proud to call themselves ‘fishermen’, they show that traditions can evolve.

Brooke, Erin and Emma are part of a handful of young women now edging their way into Britain’s fishing fleet. They call themselves fishermen, not fisherwomen. Twenty-year-old Rookie Brooke has been nominated for a trainee fisherman award, Erin works on a trawler, hauling prawns for up to a fortnight at a time in the far-flung waters of the North Atlantic, and 19-year-old Emma is the skipper of her own creel boat. As crews age and vessels lie idle for lack of hands, their stories ask whether ‘female fishermen’ could save the industry – and whether the old guard will let them work alongside them.

Release date:

29 minutes

On TV

Mon 21 Jul 2025 19:00

Credits

Role Contributor
Production Manager Maxene Purdie
Executive Producer Anne-Claire Christie
Researcher Niamh Cowling
Editor James Alcock
Director Stewart Houston
Production Company Specky Productions Limited

Broadcast