Net fishing in the Fulaga lagoon

A crack team consisting of seven locals and five yachties set off in three dinghies on Saturday morning for a spot of fishing. The preferred method here is to use a net with floats at the top and lead weights at the bottom (it's about 40m long by 1.5m deep); it's manoeuvred into position in 1m deep water by two people, one at either end, and the rest of the team thrash the water to drive the fish into it. As the 'thrashers' get closer, the net controllers pull the net into a circle and join the two ends before snorkellers swim around inside it to drive the fish into the meshes. It's amazingly effective and great fun to be part of the process.

 

Our haul amounted to about 30 fish, a baby black-tipped shark and a small sting-ray. The village ate well that day and the three yacht crews got a couple of fish each.