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Morning
I usually stay awake till deep in the night and leave for work at dawn. Often, I and my colleagues depart for the sea at 12:00am. We head for the deep sea and we cast our nets in search of a catch.
Fishing doesn’t demand too much preparation. You only need to ensure that you have enough fuel. Then you assemble your team members, get into a boat and off you go!
When we get on the sea, we then establish the direction of the sea water. We do this by pouring sand into the water. Whichever direction the dissolving sand heads, that shows us the direction of the sea.
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But it’s not always like that. The type of fishing method we deploy depends on the season. Each season has its own peculiar approach.
In the fishing season, for instance, we could be on the sea for two to three months. It used to be like that. But on a normal day when we leave at dawn, we return between 5:00am and 6:00am in the morning.
If we are quick to make a catch, we can even return earlier. On the other hand, if we make no catch, then we are likely to stay over for another day.
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A bumper catch
Afternoon
Afternoons are usually used for either mending my nets or doing business, I mean the fishes that we manage to catch.
Usually, the market women come to buy from me, so when we return from the sea, I make sure that I sell as many fishes as possible.
The rest of the day is divided between visiting my family at home and returning to mend the nets that I use for fishing.
The thing is that the nets usually get damaged because of the rocks in the water. Sometimes, depending on how strong and sharp the scales of the big fishes are, they can also cause the net to tear.
When that happens, you will have to mend it before reusing it for the next day’s work, but you can only do that in the afternoon.
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Fishermen mending their nets
Evening
Like I said earlier, we usually leave at dawn so I spend my evening resting. For every fisherman, that is the best time to relax and gain back your lost strength.
Personally, I spend my evenings with my family. By then, both my wife and children are back home and because I don’t work at that time, I the advantage to fraternise with them.
Other times, I just lay on the shore of the beach with my colleagues and we wait till dawn to head for the deep sea to fish.
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Fishermen rest at night and prepare to set off at dawn
Best moments
The money made from fishing is dependent on the catch you are able to make. Sometimes you can go three months straight without making a bumper catch, but a good day on the sea could write off the three bad months.
That’s how it works. A bumper catch, after the fishes are sold, can generate up to Ghc40,000. And I’m talking about the money that a single boat makes.
Only that all that money doesn’t go to one person. The boat owner takes his share and the crew members also get theirs. But it’s still good money.
Fishing used to be done by the old men here, but things have changed.
I can say there are more fishermen now than ever, because people are beginning to realise that it is a very profitable job.
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A good day could fetch about GHc40,000
Challenges
Fishing demands a lot of hard work and dedication. There are times when I feel lazy to even wake up but I have family to feed, so what can I do?
The outboard motors that ran our boats are also very expensive. They used to be GHc6,000 during Jerry John Rawlings’ time, but now they are sold between GHc10,000 and GHc12,000. The price has been going up year after year.
It’s really hurting most fishermen. As fisher folk, we receive very little help from government. People assume that fishermen make money, so we don’t need any help. But business is not always good. These outboard motors shouldn’t be this expensive.
Then there is the problem of fuel. We spend about GHc5,000 on fuel alone for the year. Sometimes, we spend even more. And that drains you.
Lastly, the job denies me quality time with my family. Except for the closed season, fishermen have no holiday. But I’m a family man and sometimes I wish I could spend more time with my wife and children.