Page 15 - AHATA

Friday 1 September 2023 locAl
A10

Episode 45 - The fisheries of the 19th century

ORANJESTAD — The so- are settlements of fisher-
called Continental Bank men. Until the arrival of the
between Aruba and the oil -industry Aruban fisher-
opposite coast reaches a men could supply Aruba's
depth of about 650 feet. wants.
The sea is very rich in fish
here. From indigenous na- Cruising off the coast the

tive people times fishing Aruban fisherman patient-
and sea creatures such ly waited for a fish willing
as turtles, octopus squids, to snap at the bait on the
conch and many type of drag-line, in nets and traps.
crustaceans have formed Veritable giants are some-
a means of subsistence for times caught. Barracudas
the native Aruban inhabit- weigh from 9 to 44 pounds
ants. Especially along the and measure from 3 to al-
west coast of the island most 7 feet. The king-fish
where the fishing grounds has a weight from 22 to 44

pounds; the moclat may now. Approximately 160 trade around the Monges
tip the scales at 155, whilst people earn their living in Islands and off the oppo-
garfish, having a length of this branch of this industry. site coast employ big fish-
nine feet, weigh over 132 Rancho, which stands for a ing schooners from 5 to 40
pounds. shed, nowadays east Oran- gross registered tons burth-
When fishing with deep-sea jestad, is where quarter has en with Venezuelan crews.
lines just over the bottom of remained the fishermen’s The coastal fishermen sup-
the sea the boat is kept in settlement. It was in the ply fresh fish, but the catch-
place by means of a piece middle of the last century es of the bigger cutters,
of rock serving as an an- that about 45 fishermen though brought to Aruban
chor. The two most impor- lived there. On Horses' Bay markets in greater quantity,
tant species of fish by far about ten fishermen pursue are less fresh, because they
caught in this manner are their calling in a small ways have to be kept in cold
the pargo or red snappers by using fish traps called storage for some time. At
and a variety of groupers canastas. These where laid a rough estimate there are
like the mero, jeanpao and in the shallow water. At Cas about a hundred small fish-
the wowo di boyo. Paloma there are 4 fisher- ing boats.
As a source of income, men, at Santa Cruz 6, in The fisheries provide a con-
however, fishing did not the ancient fishing village siderable source of income,
amount too much. On of Sabaneta 10, at Cura but they could be much
Aruba and Curacao there Cabai 3 and at Sint Nico- more productive. Each
were no facilities to keep laas another 7. Noord had month about 3000 kilos of
a large quantity of fish for also its old fishing village cold-stored fish is imported
some days. Not until 1911 with some 25 fishermen liv- here from Las Piedras, Ven-
was there the first cold stor- ing close to the beach. The ezuela. Everything caught
age but with restricted ac- further removed from Lago, is for home consumption
commodation on Aruba the more fishermen there only. Exports of fish do not
that was to be put into are. take place.
use. It is typical of the Aru- These are all Arubans, but To get to know more about
bans that only here were besides them there were Aruba and its origins, its ani-
the nets properly cared also about sixty Venezu- mals and culture, we highly
for. Elsewhere they looked elans and Colombians who recommend you to book
neglected.This sort of work worked in the fisheries here. your visit. Our renowned
will also have caused some cultural encounter ses-
hammocks to be made on The Arubans, together with sion has been entertain-
Aruba. some Windward Islanders, ing curious participants for
mainly engage in coastal decades. Mail us at etni-
Our fisheries which in times fishing, using rowing-boats anativa03@gmail.com to
of old could meet the de- or small sailing-boats, and confirm your participation.
mand of the island have lines or dragnets and can- Our facilities and activities
been unable to do so for isters in shallow water. The take place close to high
a considerable period fishermen carrying on their rise hotels.q