The East Anglian Film Archive, the first and largest Regional Film Archive in England, was established in 1976. Since 1984, EAFA has been owned and operated by the University of East Anglia, Norwich (UEA), to support research and work to preserve our moving image heritage. More than 250 hours are freely available online as examples of the wide range of film which attracts interest the world over.
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Trawling North Sea: Dicketa, 1974
Rare Super 8 colour film offering a unique and personal view of fishermens' lives, filmed on board the North sea Trawler, Dicketa in 1974.
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Overview
Skipper Paul Meen, from Lowestoft, made this amateur record on Super 8 colour film of a fishing expedition on a trawler on the North Sea. Footage includes fishing nets being repaired and then cast out to sea, a huge catch being released on deck – the catch includes a large porpoise that the fisherman quite clumsily returns to the sea, and then fishermen gutting fish. It is a great detailed record of fishermen - all wearing the familiar yellow raincoat, and their work in 1974.
Skipper of the Dicketa fishing trawler, Mr Paul Meen, who documented the trip, can be seen in the wheelhouse navigating the vessel. He is wearing a navy polo neck jumper. On this trip, the Dicketa trawler had set off from Lowestoft, heading towards Great Yarmouth, to go out the channel and into the middle of the North Sea. The Dicketa fishing trawler was owned by the Boston Fishing Company, a large privately owned fishing fleet. Paul Meen claims to be the youngest ever fishing trawler skipper in Lowestoft and also the youngest ever skipper for his employers the Boston Fishing Company. The minimum age requirement to take on the role of skipper was 21 years. Paul Meen was 21 years and five months.
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