Photo of the Week: A Bayahibe Fisherman

This post is also available in:

This week’s photo was taken by myself in Bayahibe, fishing village and tourism hot-spot. 

I love this photo because it really captures a little piece of Dominican life and culture. This man was mending his fishing net by hand on the rocks at the waters edge, right by his fishing boat (the beautiful multi-colored rowing boat).

Intrigued, I asked the man if he uses the net to capture lobster and his answer was ‘si, claro’ (yes of course), but he then went on to tell me that he catches all kinds of seafood in the net – fish, shrimp and even pulpo (octopus). I find it wonderful that something so simple can be so effective. Not only is this man taking part in sustainable fishing but he is not polluting the environment either; his net is made from chicken wire and sugar cane and his little fishing boat is rowed by hand.

No doubt he sells his fresh seafood to the nearby restaurants in Bayahibe – Mare Nostrum and Barcobar maybe.

Notice in the background of the photo you can see a large deep sea fishing boat, as well as the traditional colorful wooden homes lining the waters edge. There is such a mix of cultures, wealth and realities in this tiny seaside town!

The following are links to previous ‘Photo of the week’ posts: