Peter Carter. Fen man. Eel man. Gone



      Peter Carter, the last remaining traditional Fenland eel fisherman, has hung up his traps for good. He has employed the same methods for catching eels that have been in use on the Fens for 3,000 years and now those skills that have been handed down through generations will disappear.
      Changes to fishing laws and the dramatic falls in eel stocks have resulted in Peter giving up eel fishing for a living. Peter closed his impressive shop in Outwell a few years ago and no doubt his punt will now slowly sink to the bottom of drain where it is moored and be reclaimed, like all things, by nature.
      Maybe some of the few surviving eels will make their home in it as it gently rots away.
      A sad day but as Peter said in an interview with Downham Market Life 'I can't live on empty pockets.'
      Shown at the top is a linocut that I cut and printed showing Peter in his punt on one of the local drains and at least I have my prints signed by him as a memory and below is a picture of Peter in his shop.




Comments

  1. Chance is inevitable, but a lot of times not for the better.
    A crying shame.

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  2. Dead right Piscator. Peter is a lovely man with a mass of knowledge. I know he still does talks and visits architectural digs on the Fens. I bought some good books from him too and a couple of reels. The loss is bigger than many people realise. ATB, John

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