Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Gaël Rangain
Published on 2024-03-23 03:00:53
Since March 1st, seine fishing has been allowed in the lagoon in Mauritius and Rodrigues. This practice, which is part of the folklore, is destined to disappear, as in recent years, authorities have stopped issuing permits for this type of fishing activity in the lagoon for ecological reasons. Those who still resist are also the last ones to keep the tradition alive. The phasing out will happen naturally, leaving a bitter taste among those who have practiced this profession for years.
Sitting on a rock by the sea in Trou-d’Eau-Douce, Ange Rosette scans the horizon and patiently waits for the moment to set his nets. Meanwhile, his teammates inspect the equipment and repair the damaged parts. The type of seine used here is called Gilnet. It is set in the sea around 6pm to be retrieved the next morning around 6am. At 72 years old, he is not ready to retire. This is all he has ever known as a profession all his life. He learned this trade from his father, who also learned it from his own. “My whole generation practiced this type of fishing. The seine already existed in Jesus’ time. I have been doing this job for 30 years. I cannot see myself changing to another type of fishing today,” he says.
With his cooperative company, Gueule Pavé Gilnet Fishing, he is enjoying the last moments of seine fishing in the Mauritian lagoon. It is estimated that this activity is harmful to the marine environment because the nets destroy the corals. “These days, the ministry no longer issues permits to practice seine fishing in the lagoon. Those who remain are the last ones. It has been said that we now have to go fishing outside the lagoon, but it is not practical for everyone,” he explains.
Ange Rosette explains that on the East coast, there is always a lot of wind. This would make an activity outside the lagoon much more complicated than in other regions, where the sea is calmer. “There are always a lot of fish in our sea, but the weather has changed. The sea has become rougher. Imagine now if we have to seine fish outside the lagoon only.”
The fisherman does not hide his bitterness towards the environmental argument. “How many Pleasure Crafts are there in the lagoon? The propellers can also damage the corals. And all these pesticides used in the sugarcane fields, do they have no impact on the marine environment? They are not prohibited either. Why us, fishermen, have to give up our profession? In life, when you are weak, you are crushed even more. Peser inn vinn kouma enn leponz, li bizin absorb tou…” (When you are weak, you have to endure everything.)
It should be noted that seine fishing is practiced for only seven months per year, from March 1st to September 30th. A few additional days are regularly granted to compensate for bad weather days. After that, the nets are sealed and kept in the Fisheries stations awaiting the next season.
There are 12 large seines and five Gilnets in use this season. The large seine measures 500 meters, while the gilnet is 250 meters. The former is usually used in the morning and the latter, set in the sea in the evening, to be retrieved in the morning. With the Ministry of Fisheries decision to no longer issue permits for seine fishing in the lagoon, cooperatives are facing a lack of manpower. For the current campaign, a derogation was requested from the ministry to allow those who have permits to fish outside the lagoon to lend a hand to the teams.
This profession sustains more than just fishing families. The banyan trees waiting for the boats to stock up will not say otherwise. There are also small artisans, like Jules Victoire, 71, who repairs the nets. “It’s a job I’ve been doing since I was young. I repair the fishermen’s nets with a special needle.” It looks nothing like a sewing needle. It is a flat object, the size of the palm of the hand, that Jules Victoire skillfully uses to make 11 cm mesh, with a monofilament. “In the past, the needles were made of bamboo. And they would get damaged over time. Now, they are made of fiberglass. It’s more resistant.”
He also nostalgically observes that seine fishing is on the verge of disappearing. “It’s a dying profession. Soon, I won’t be able to repair nets anymore. The young people are not interested when I try to pass on this knowledge to them.”
During the seine season, coastal villages experience a particular animation. This practice is part of the folklore and mobilizes large teams, while other types of fishing can be done alone or in a small group. Until the last seines are sealed forever, those who have the opportunity still enjoy the beautiful spectacle where fishermen show a lot of skill, but also intelligence, to scrutinize the tides and the sky.
For some, the cessation of seine fishing may not be as beneficial for the lagoon as believed. They argue that some dangerous fish, like thazards, are only caught with the seine. The cessation of the seine could then mean a proliferation of thazards in the lagoon, making it more dangerous…
Read the original article(French) on Le Mauricien
