Dangerous fire fishing: a dying tradition in Asia (6 photos)

At night, fish can swim into bright light, as many fishermen know, especially in Asia. Therefore, they buy lamps and powerful lanterns, but all this is just a modernization of the ancient tradition, when Taiwanese fishermen went out on the water in boats at night with huge torches and oil lamps.





From May to July, this type of fishing takes place for only three months. Therefore, fishermen remain at sea from the beginning of darkness until the morning, about 6 o'clock. With enough luck, they can catch up to 4 tons of sardines (in total, not alone). It will be about 5 thousand dollars for everyone, and there are more than 300 of them.



Look, the fish just rushes, it looks very epic

That’s why young people go to work for hire on large fishing vessels. All that remains are old people over 60 years of age or quarrelsome loners who are willing to endure unstable earnings so as not to be subordinate to anyone.

Who swims to the light?

Fish that often swim by themselves during the day near the surface of the water. These are anchovy, sardines, herring, mackerel. When they see a bright light on the surface, they approach.





Odie holds a torch, and two of them snatch fish from the surface with a net

Why is culture dying out?

At night they fish with light even now, but with lamps. Because torches are often deadly. In order for the torch to burn for a long time, it must be well soaked in oil. And such a powerful flaming torch, if careless, can burn the boat.

Such fishermen received burns or died at sea if they went too far. And even if you survived and swam out, then in the end you lost the main thing for a fisherman’s income - a boat.



The sulfur torch looks like a light bomb, it's not a lamp

That is, he became a beggar. Few people like such nervous, risky work.

That’s why fishermen take lanterns for food, and those who want to show tourists and local residents the ancient culture of the Chinese people stubbornly light torches at night.

Today, of the 300 night fishing boats on Taiwan's northeast coast, only 3 go out to sea with torches, most often made of sulfur. Because when sulfur comes into contact with water, a spectacular flash occurs.



The fish comes into your hands! This method once saved the country from famine

Quite a new festival

The government came to its senses when there were only three of these boats left. In a hurry, Taiwan established an annual fishing festival. Any fisherman who has been taught this craft can take part in it.

Once a year, they all go out onto the water at once to enchant onlookers on the shore with a colorful spectacle of the dance of fire and water, as well as almost primitive hunting.



Young people don't want romance, they want a salary on a big trawler

There is hope that the tradition will not die this way.