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Thursday 28 July 2022 locAl
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History of fishing in Aruba

ORANJESTAD — Fishing has the island where the fishing
been a family tradition for grounds are settlements of
ages in Aruba. Our ances- fishermen. Until the arrival
tors used to fish for a living. of the oil -industry Aruban steps. This is the sixth gen-
Even though nowadays fishermen could supply Aru- eration of fishermen in their
you don’t see them often ba’s wants. family.
we still have some passion- As a source of income, how- They go deep sea fishing.
ate fishermen on the island ever, fishing did not amount There they catch red snap-
that go out every day in too much. In the beginning per, grouper and amber-
search for fish to feed their of the 1900’s approximately jack. They usually fish for
families and serve our local 160 people earn their living 15 hours a day, but now
market. One of these fisher- in this branch of this indus- due to the covid-19 mea-
man is Gregory Wernet. try. Rancho, which stands surements they go fishing
for a shed, nowadays east from 5 in the morning until
The so-called Continental Oranjestad, was the head 8 o’clock at night or even
Bank between Aruba and quarter and remains the sometimes from 8 at night
the opposite coast reaches fishermen’s settlement. Sa- till 5 in the morning. The
a depth of about 650 feet. vaneta, Noord, Santa Cruz day before they prepare
The sea is very rich in fish all had their fishermen’s vil- all their fishing tools such as
here. Since the time of the lages. At a rough estimate the Lines, lures, spears, and
indigenous native people there were about a hun- load their boat with fishing
fish and other sea creatures dred small fishing boats reels, batteries, fill the gaso-
such as turtles, octopus during that time. line tank, lights and some
squids, conch and many The Arubans were mainly food and beverages. For
type of crustaceans have engaged in coastal fishing, bait he uses sardines, squid
formed a means of subsis- using rowing-boats or small and the small fish known
tence for the native Aru- sailing-boats, and lines or in Aruba as piskechi. The
ban inhabitants. Especially dragnets and canisters in have two boats they use
along the west coast of shallow water. When fish- for fishing. ‘Virgen del Valle’
which is parked at the pier
ing with deep-sea lines just garfish, having a length of by the Seaport and ‘Pa-
over the bottom of the sea nine feet, weigh over 132 drot’ which they have at
the boat is kept in place by pounds. home.
means of a piece of rock Most fish caught is used The fish they catch they
serving as an anchor. The for their own consumption, take home to their families
two most important species to feed their families and and they also sell it to their
of fish by far caught in this some are being sold in the clients. Gregory is proud to
manner are the pargo or market to local restaurants. be a fisherman. It is a hon-
red snappers and a variety est and humble job but
of groupers like the mero, Fisherman Gregory Wernet with it he is able to feed
jeanpao and the wowo di Gregory Wernet is a well- his family even during hard
boyo. known fisherman from San- times. It is a very dangerous
Cruising off the coast the ta Cruz. His father taught job and you have to spend
Aruban fisherman patient- him fishing when he was many hours on the sea,
ly waits for a fish willing to a small child. Gregory has waiting patiently and risk-
snap at the bait on the two sons, Jordan and Jor- ing your life while fighting a
drag-line, in nets and traps. danny, which he taught big fish and big waves but
Veritable giants are some- fishing too, when they were the adrenaline it brings with
times caught. Barracudas only 3 years old and he it but also just sitting there
weigh from 9 to 44 pounds takes them fishing with him. listening to the sound of the
and measure from 3 to al- Fishing has been a fam- waves and enjoying the
most 7 feet. The king-fish ily tradition for quite a long marvelous view that nature
has a weight from 22 to 44 time and even his grand- has to offer is all worth it.q
pounds; the moclat may son Willvion of 7 years old
tip the scales at 155, whilst is following his grandfather Source: EtniaNativa