Yemen’s Shark Fishing Season Good Chance to Make Money, But Risks Involved
(AWP) - Fishermen in al-Khawkhah, in the Yemeni province of al-Hodeidah, rely on the shark fishing season in spite of all the risks involved as sharks bring good income under tough economic conditions.
Shark fishing requires skill, bravery and patience. The season begins in May and continues for several months. Fishermen have been working hard to make the best use of the season as sharks are being sold at relatively high prices. Locals buy shark meat while the fins are being exported at high rates for east Asian countries.
Mohamed Ahmed Saad has received the fishing business from his father. He never stopped sailing for 40 years to pursue his source of income. He depends on the shark fishing season to make some profits regardless of all risks involved.
“During the shark fishing season, we stay in the sea for four to five days. It takes time and effort. We throw our fishing tools into the sea with the bait and wait until the morning to pull the robe and at the end of it we get the sharks. When the wind is strong and northern, the risk increases. When heavy rain falls along with winds or the southwestern winds, the risk becomes greater too,” he explained.
As boats are anchored, carriers flow in to move the valuable fishing to the dock, where awaiting merchants from al-Hodeidah and other provinces check the fish and buy whatever is good for them.
Abu Mohamed Jamil, a fisherman who returned from a fishing journey that took about a week, spoke about the money and efforts being exerted by fishermen to return with sharks.
He said he might gain three to four million riyals in one journey and sometimes returns empty-handed and would have to afford the fishermen’s wages.
Jamil Jal’oum, a representative of fishermen in al-Khawkhah, said the prices of fish are up from 100,000 to 300,000 riyals and sometimes could hit 400,000 and 500,000 riyals because of the scarcity of fins and their globally-high price.
(One U.S. dollar equals 250.34 Yemeni riyals)