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A fresh wave of Buchan fishermen are destined for small-screen stardom next week when the BBC’s highly-acclaimed Trawlermen show returns for a third series.
The Press and Journal 14/08/2008
The ground-breaking documentary, which chronicles the highs and lows of north-east skippers and crews, steams back to prime-time TV on Wednesday – bigger and more technologically advanced than before.
The new series lasts for six weeks, instead of five half-hour episodes over the course of as many days. And, for the first time, computer graphics will be used to show what goes on underwater and to help explain different fishing techniques.
One of the stars of the last series, John Buchan, skipper of the Peterhead-registered Ocean Venture, is back in the new show. He said:
“It’s been an incredible boost for the industry. My wife didn't even know what happened at sea until she saw it on TV. It’s been a real eye-opener for a lot of people.”
The Ocean Venture features heavily in the opening episode. Mr Buchan’s son, also John, takes the boat out into the North Sea and is hit by three storms.
“It’s his first time on the show and I think he’s looking forward to seeing folk’s reactions,” said his father.
“I do get recognised a lot wherever I go, but it doesn't really bother me. I was on holiday in Los Angeles a few months ago and someone came up to me and said ‘Aren’t you that Trawlermen guy?’ That can be a bit strange sometimes.”
The series was filmed mainly in January and February when massive storms hit the north-east.
During the shoot, camera crews captured an altercation between Scottish and Spanish trawlers, as well as the problems of trying to cook a chicken stir-fry on a 50ft prawn boat during a storm.
A BBC spokesman said the series also highlights the problems fishermen have as they try to stick to their cod quotas at a time when the species appears to be in resurgence.
“This is BBC1’s flagship documentary series,” he said. “The new season focuses on the relationships between the generations of fishermen within this tight-knit and traditional community.
“From one-man crab boats to North Atlantic white fish storm-chasers, this year Trawlermen tackles the whole range of Scottish fishing.”
The new series begins on BBC1 from 8.30pm on Wednesday, August 20.
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