FISHING ...the way it was

Fishermen from Flagaman, St. Elizabeth walk along the coral reef at Old Wharf, fishing with nets and sticks. - Ian Allen photos

Yvonne Chin, Staff Reporter

HOPETON EBANKS needs neither a boat nor bait to go fishing. Neither does Collie Honeyghon.

The fishermen, like others before them in Old Wharf, St. Elizabeth, simply walk into the shallow area of the sea and cast their nets.

"The fish come over to feed on the coral reef and once you know where the hole is that the fish eat in the coral reef, you just cast your net and use your stick to try to force them into it," explained Honeyghon.

When the fishes are trapped, the fishermen pull in the net, take out the fighting, wriggling fishes and drop them in the bag they carry over their shoulders.

It's called net fishing and in this part of the island this is how they've been fishing for generations. Ebanks who has been at it for about 15 years said he and other area fishermen learned the technique from the older folks. Outside to Old Wharf, net fishing is done by a small number of fishermen from Flagaman and Southfield, St. Elizabeth.

"I will spend four or five hours and leave with 20 or 30 pounds of fish," said Ebanks. His catch often includes Parrot, Doctor, Snapper and Grunt fish, which he sells at $100 per pound.

Honeyghon, a farmer who turns to the sea in his spare time noted that the day before he had caught 14 pounds of fish after about three hours of being battered by waves. That, he said was more than enough to share among family and friends.

The fishermen who go to Old Wharf or the Great Pedro Bluff in the early morning or in the evening when the tide is low, say net fishing is not as easy as it looks.

"Sometimes the sea is rough and the tide can lick you down and you drown. You really have to know what you're doing," said Ebanks.
The coral reef is also sharp, he pointed out,
and without proper shoes (he recommends
water boots) fishermen can get hurt stepping
on sharp objects and corals.

Plus, some days are slow, noted the duo.
The day we saw them was one such long and winding day.

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