The Forgotten Fish

Abstract

When I was between 14 and 21 years old I used to go out with the fishermen of the village of Cadaqués, in the north of Catalonia, with trammel nets, longlines and pots. On the small beach of Llané Petit they taught me how to set the nets and longlines, and what the seasons were for each fish. Little by little, they showed me the fishing grounds that they frequented, told me where to set my nets so that I wouldn’t be caught and passed on to me their decades of wisdom (passed down from father to son) to make fishing more profitable. They liked having a youngster—just me—who wanted to learn the trade, and they took me out to sea with them at six or seven in the morning. I was fascinated by this contact with the sea in the early morning or late afternoon, working out what we were going to find in our gear that day and, of course, eating the fresh catch. This last experience is unique and very few people, unfortunately, can enjoy it today.