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The Falmouth working boats have survived as a class because of the nature of the oyster fishing which has continued in the Roseland and in the river Fal for hundreds of years. The native oysters grow freely in the shallow waters of the upper reaches of the Carrick Roads from which they must be dredged under sail or oar. This restriction has had the effect of preserving the fishery although stocks are prone to pollution and disease. Local fishermen have dredged for oysters using any craft suitable for the purpose and they believe the ideal dimensions are a waterline of some 24ft and a draft of no more than 4ft 6ins. The working boat fleet has therefore always been somewhat diverse with boats from all over the County being pressed into service. Nearly every fishing village around the Cornish coast has at one time provided working boats for the fleet.
St Mawes is a small village opposite Falmouth, on the Roseland Peninsula on the south coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It lies on the east bank of the Carrick Roads, a large waterway created after the Ice Age from an ancient valley which flooded as the melt waters caused the sea level to rise dramatically. The immense natural harbour created is often claimed to be the third largest in the world. It was once a busy fishing port, but the trade declined during the 20th century and it now serves as a popular tourist location, with many properties in the village functioning as holiday accommodation. The village is in the civil parish of St Just in Roseland.