LIFE AT SEA F i s h i n g
V i l l a g e s
Jevaun Edwards
i n
J a m a i c a
Workers at the Fishing Village
Fishing is one of the primary forms of income that makes up Jamaica’s economy. Coming from the days of our indigenous ancestors, fishing was a way of garnering sustenance and fishes were bartered for other goods and materials. The practice of fishing has evolved and people all over the world go fishing, whether it be for themselves and their family, or professionally. The aim of this project is to document the fishing industry from the people’s perspective and is driven by the fact that fish is the only form of meat that I consume. This was done by visiting the New Forum Fishing Village in Portmore, St. Catherine. The fishing village is one of the latest developments in Jamaica and involves removing fisherfolk from off the street side and provided a designated area in which to conduct their operations.
Meet Ole’ Ras One personality that I met was a fisher¬man with the nicknamed “Ole’ Ras”. Ras refused to provide us with his government name, but was very open about his story and how he lives his life as a fisherman. Ras grew up in an impoverished home in St. Catherine and said some¬one who was addicted to crack-co¬caine introduced him to fishing. He went further to detail that he would leave out early in the morning and rode his bicycle to meet up with the ‘crack-head’. The crackhead would then take him to sea on a little boat, and taught him how to lay the net, how
Fisherman ‘Ras’ of the New Forum Fishing Village in Portmore, St. Catherine sorting his fishes after a catch.
to ‘string-up’ a fishing line and how to dive. He detailed that this continued for several weeks until he was able to do all the tasks himself. He said that even though he was aware of his then mentor’s addiction, he was more concerned with learning the craft. He saw that it was his way out of his environment was a means to provide income for himself. It also gave him a chance to be away from home. He saw that as a plus at that time as he did not have to confront his impoverished reality. Today, Ras is located just above the New Forum Fishing village, with his own boat, oxygen tanks and all other equipment. He goes fishing several times a week, and it is how he provides for himself and his family. A living that he says, could not be any freer or any more thrilling.
Blacks’ Story Ras then introduced me to a friend of his who also accompanies him when he goes fishing, his nickname Blacks. Like Ras, he refused to provide us with his government name, as he said that he preferred that only people who know him personally use that name, and pro¬vided that the friendship grew between he and I, then one day I just may find out. Blacks’ story is just like that of many other youth who grew up during his time. He said that he learned to fish by going to the sea with his friends, a dangerous task as many young individuals have done the same, but were not lucky enough to make it back from sea. With that in mind, he detailed just playing around with his friends at sea, and learning through trial and error as well as some close calls that
he has been involved with. He said, ‘a regular me and me bredrin dem go out a sea and ting, just fi fun, and more while man get wash weh yes, but we just rush in a save dem and ting’. Blacks, just like Ras uses fishing to support himself and his family. He says “if me nuh guh out deh and get it, who ago do it? No¬body nah guh dweet fi mi so mi haffi dweet fi mi self and mi pickney dem”. This is a reality for all those men and women out on the sea, spend¬ing day after day on the water, risking life and limb, just to make some cash to support themselves and their loved ones.
Fishing for an Education Fifteen year old Mario Jones is a young fisherman in his own right. Mario’s story is a bit different from those that I have covered before, as Mario is still going to school. Mario fishes in order to earn a little extra cash on the side. Mario still goes to high school and is 2 years away from sitting his CXC examinations. Mario says ‘annuh this me a go do fi the rest a mi life enuh…. me wah become a chef or a soldier, probably do di two a dem cause mi love di cooking ting’. Mario picked up the skills from watching and going on expeditions with those around him at a tender age. His mother is one of the vendors in the fishing village, and in an attempt to help out he decided to accompany her to work and the rest is history. Mario now dives, scales and sells his own fish, taking some of the load off of his mom when it comes to his expenses and provides for himself when he can.
Unsanitary Inconveniences The conditions at the newly developed fishing village do not appear as sanitary as needs be. There is little to no running water, and most vendors scaling, cutting and cleaning of fish is done over buckets of dirty water, which was identified as the water used from previous fishes. It was also noticed that the fishes after been cleaned, were washed in the same dirty water. The area is also fly infested, which is to be expected at any village, but the fishes were not being protected in any way, shape or form, raising concern for me and wondering if these are sanitary conditions. When asked about the conditions, the reply was “wi call and ting and cyaah get nuh answer”. They added, “mi tiyad a dem people yeer, dem know dem need fi fix di wata problem caah we a lose business’.
Mother (Ann) and Daughter (Danielle) at the New Forum Fishing Village in Portmore St. Catherine.
Another day on the job for Mr. and Mrs. Jones at the New Forum Fishing Village in Portmore St.Catherine.
Blacks Cleaning up a fish at the New Forum Fishing Village
‘A fishing boat located at the New Forum Fishing village.
‘Tiny’ at work at the New Forum Fishing Village.t
An array of fishes laid out at the new Forum Fishing Village..
The shore of the New Forum Fishing Village in Portmore St.Catherine
Life at Sea: Fishing Villages in Jamaica Jevaun Edwards University of Technology, Jamaica Š2016