It’s official. Fishermen have the most dangerous job in Britain

“You can have 100 bad days out at sea, but when you have one good one, you forget about the rest,” says Pete.

However, “a bad day at the office” for a fisherman can cost him his life. In fact, last year, 13 fishermen were lost at sea, making it the most perilous job in Britain.

This supports research carried out by Oxford University, which found that fishermen were 50 times more likely to die working compared with those in other jobs.

“It’s very dangerous,” admits Pete. “I have a crew, but it’s worse for single-handed fishermen – if they fall over the side there’s nobody there to help.”

Although today’s scene is almost picture postcard perfect, it’s not always like this.

Although these waters don’t get as turbulent as, say, the North Sea or Bay of Biscay, local fishermen still regularly face danger, particularly in Christchurch’s waters.

“You get a terrific groundswell on Christchurch Ledge in the winter,” says Pete, who also works as a volunteer for the RNLI. “If you get a storm in Biscay, the swell rolls up the Channel and, as the Channel narrows and gets shallower, the wave size increases.”

However, the problems arise when the swell reaches Christchurch Ledge.

“Out at sea you can’t really notice it – it’s like a tsunami. But the sea depth goes from 70ft to 15ft at Christchurch Ledge and the water has to go somewhere,” says Pete.

“It breaks over the bows. It’s very dangerous for small fishing boats – we’ve all had close shaves.”

However, Pete’s closest shave came in the early ’90s when he was putting out some lobster pots.

As he was “shooting” them off the side, one of his legs became snared in a rope attached to a pot, pulling him into the sea with it. It was mid-winter.

“If I had held on to the boat it would have ripped my leg off, so I decided to take my chances going with it,” explains Pete. “It was a bit of gamble, but I thought I’d be able to untie the rope in the water.”

Luckily, the gamble paid off – but not before Pete was dragged through the chilly ocean towards the seabed.

“It was pitch black, but I managed to get my leg out. Technically, I shouldn’t be here.”

He adds: “All fishermen have got similar tales to tell.”

However, not all survive to tell them.

In December 2006, fisherman Peter Lynham drowned off Portland when his foot became tangled while he was shooting crab pots. His was one of three lives lost in as many weeks.

The first tragedy struck when the Scottish fishing vessel, Unity, capsized in turbulent conditions.

Two of the crew, Fergus Middleton and Graeme Hughes, were rescued by the RNLI, but skipper John Bowman drowned. Schoolboy Kyle Moore died that same month, after his rowing boat capsized.

Poole fisherman Lee Inglis and his skipper, Andy Skinner, also died on the job in 1996 while fishing the Channel.

Their vessel, May Girl, was last seen leaving Cherbourg and is said to have disappeared in stormy seas.

A number of conspiracy theories did the rounds, including one that the pair were murdered, although the most plausible explanation was that May Girl collided with another boat or a submarine.

Yet, despite the dangers, Pete Dadds wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I love it. It’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle,” he says as we bring in nets off Boscombe Pier.

“All those people trapped in offices, and I’m out here – I don’t know how they do it.”

Although it’s the most dangerous occupation in Britain, fishermen are poorly paid and have a labyrinth of laws and legislation to work through.

“I just wish the pay reflected the danger,” says Pete, who is up with the lark seven days a week to earn a living. It’s the same for fishermen throughout Britain, many of whom work similar hours to Pete, who sometimes starts at 5am and finishes at 9pm.

“As one of my mates says, ‘If the job was easy, it would be called catching, not fishing’.”