The sale of one of Arbroath's last fishing boats and the decision to wind up the town's fishermen's association after 85 years has spelt the end of the fishing tradition in Scotland's “smokie” capital.

For four generations the Smith family have sailed from Arbroath to harvest once-bountiful shoals of cod, haddock and herring.

Yesterday, however, the Smiths gave in to modern realities and sold their boat, leaving the famous old port with just two registered trawlers.

The Arbroath Fishermen's Association, which was established in 1923 and is believed to be the oldest in Britain, is being wound up by club officials after its membership dropped from more than 100 to just 15.

Production of the iconic smokie, made from haddock, will not cease, as processors have sourced their fish from Aberdeen and Peterhead for many years, but the closure has a sad symbolism for locals.

Jim Smith, 55, said on parting with the 60ft trawler Sincerity and ending a long family history: “It's very sad. Every house used to have a fisherman or a boat builder.”

In its fishing heyday, from the late 19th century until the 1970s, Arbroath was a bustling port, teeming with boats landing thousands of crates of haddock and cod.

Mr Smith left school in 1967 aged 15 to go to sea, as had most of his peers. He said: “Every family at the Fit o' the Toon area of Arbroath was involved in the fishing industry in some way.

“I went to sea with my father and his three brothers, fishing for haddock. In 1967, four or five miles off the coast we would find plenty of fish. We never went further than 20 or 25 miles and there were 25 trawlers doing a roaring trade out of Arbroath. Now, we needed to go 100 miles out to sea before we can get a catch, which is a long and dangerous way to go.

“When it's winter and it's dark at 4pm, it's not very nice. In February, we broke down 90 miles from harbour. Our VHF radio only has a 25-mile range and there were no boats within that radius, so we were helpless. It took 14 hours for another boat to come to our aid and tow us in. Twenty years ago, we would've been picked up within an hour.

“Fishing has changed so much in such a short period. Arbroath harbour is empty now. It has just two trawlers left and eight small creel boats. It is very sad.”

Mr Smith now plans to operate a leisure angling business with his brother Alex. He said that the North Sea was over-fished and stocks have steadily dwindled since the mid-1980s. But he also blamed the rising costs of diesel, a big increase in European Union bureaucracy and climate change for the decline of the town's fishing industry.

“The cod are all found well north, and that's not because of over-fishing. I think climate change has played some part, with warmer waters upsetting the balance,” he added.

Bob Spink, a local Independent councillor whose family firm, R.R.Spink & Son, has smoked fish since the early 1700s, said that the town harbour will convert into a marina for leisure craft. Mr Spink, who led the campaign for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for the Arbroath Smokie from the European Commission in 2004, said: “I was born and brought up in Arbroath and spent my entire working life in the fishing industry. We were one of the main wholesalers in the town and I remember well the good old days. We used to have daily landings from 30 boats and it was a very busy market.

“If somebody said to me 20 years ago that this is how it would end up, I would never have believed them. I know the Smith family well and it is a great shame that it has come to this but it is very typical of so many other fishing families in the town who have been a victim of circumstance.

“Arbroath is now making the transition from a commercial fishing harbour to a yacht marina.”

Arbroath Smokies

The traditional method of smoking is to take a haddock, gut and head it, then salt it overnight.

Once cured, the fish are tied in pairs and hung on the traditional wooden sticks to dry.

Smoking was done over the "barrel", traditionally a pit in the ground where a hardwood fire was started. This gave the smokies their distinctive colour and flavour. Once the fire is burning the sticks are placed over above the fire, about three feet above it. Then the lid is closed and covered with a hessian cloth to let the fire breathe.

Smokies are generally "smoked" for anything between 45-90 minutes, depending on the wind conditions and quality of wood.

Once golden brown they are ready to eat.

Smoking haddock is still very much a cottage industry in Arbroath, with a designated area within the town

The original smokie was said to hail from Auchmithie, a small fishing village, three miles north of Arbroath, said to be originally populated by Vikings

The smoking process follows a process similar to those in ScandinaviaThe fisher people from Auchmithie moved to Arbroath in the late 1800s, lured by the promise of better housing and a better harbour. They settled in the area known as the Fit o' the Toon, and became one of the greatest contributors to Arbroath's economy.

In 2004 smokies joined Champagne and Parma ham in

the exclusive gourmet hall of

fame when they were awarded Protected Geographical Interest

by the European Commission

The name Arbroath Smokie can now only be used to describe haddock smoked in the traditional manner and within a five-mile (8km) radius of Arbroath

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