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Thursday 18 augusT 2022 locAl
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History of fishing in Aruba

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

Fisherman Gregory Wernet
Gregory Wernet is a well-
known fisherman from San-
ta Cruz. His father taught
him fishing when he was
a small child. Gregory has
two sons, Jordan and Jor-
danny, which he taught
fishing too, when they were
only 3 years old and he
takes them fishing with him.
Fishing has been a fam-
ily tradition for quite a long