Page 10 - AHATA

Tuesday 24 January 2023 locAl
A10

History of fishing in Aruba

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

Source: Etnia Nativa