Monday, August 3, 2009

Setting the Fishpots





Although fishing is an important part of the economy, there are few full time fishermen. Most go fishing only several days a week and farm the rest of the time. They trawl with a line, use fishpots (big wire cages),seine nets. Dolphin fish, King fish, snapper, tuna and bonito, balaou and flying fish usually make up the catch. You know when a boat returns to shore with its catch when you hear the fisherman blow on a conch shell. They tell me that some even blow a special tattoo to tell what kind of fish they have. You grab your pail or bag and run to the shore. Seven EC (eastern caribbean dollars, about $3.50 Canadian)will get you 3 pounds of wonderful, small tuna or red snapper.

Sono set his pots with crab and papaya. Barely balancing the pots on the bow, we headed out to pick up his brother, Phillip from the dock at Clifton. Then, after much discussion between Phillip and Sono, a suitable spot, not too far out to sea, was determined, and the fishpots were tossed over board. He'll go back in 24 to 36 hours to raise them. The fish haven't been biting well these days (something about the wrong phase of the moon for fish),so he doesn't expect a big catch.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gone fishing? Good for you!

Anonymous said...

Did you ask to go out fishing with them? How long were you out there? What did you catch?