Derek Johnson - Eel Catcher

The work is seasonal and involves long hours. He does not feel that anyone can make a living out of eel catching as ‘you can’t catch eels all year round’. He says that ‘you can’t tie knots when your fingers are cold’. He has to move around to different places. Often the nets contain weeds, paper and cartons as well as eels. There are different sized eels and he puts back the smaller ones. His catch is sent to Holland and collected every 3 weeks. He likes his work as it is ‘nice and quiet’.

The film was shot in 1986 by filmmaker David Cleveland. It is a record of a local eel catcher at work. The film shows Derek Johnson pulling up his nets which he left in the river the day before. He worries about other boats pulling up the nets and always tries to return to his nets early in the morning. He says that the catch this year is worse than last year. If the work was all year he says that ‘you might soldier on’ but it is seasonal. The film shows his boat and a sign ‘Slow Down Eel set - don’t drag anchors’. The film finishes with Derek drinking a mug of tea in his boathouse and there are exterior shots of Derek finishing his work for the day and hanging up his waterproofs to dry.