Community Fishing Day

In my last post, I mentioned that from the top of Phu Lon mountain in Si Muang Mai District of Ubon Ratchathani Province, I could see some large lakes. I did not mention that I could just about make out lots of people in and around the lakes and I could hear music interspersed with loudspeaker announcements. Lots of people, loud music (it must have been loud because I was a long way away) and announcemnts ... it sounds like a Thai fesival of some sorts, doesn't it. So when we had finished looking around Phu Lon, we went off to find out what was going on.

 

 

 

 

We didn't really find out what was going on, but in addition to what you can see in these pictures there were a few food stalls and lots of families getting ready to barbecue any fish their menfolk caught.

In Phana there are a few small communities which once a year throw their fish ponds open to the public. Anyone can come along and for a fee (usually 100 Baht) they can catch as many fish as they want or are able to. And as here in Si Muang Mai, it becomes a fun day out for families. Usually they catch more fish than they need so they are able to offer some to neighbours and relatives. The fees which are collected are shared amongst the community owning the fish pond.

Comments

[Mike]

Lawrence what a great idea. Not seen anything like this in my neck of the woods. However my neighbour Annan stopped by last night to show me a turtle he had caught in the local pond.

They don't eat them(here) apparently which was quite surprising.

[Lawrence]

Mike, I haven't heard of any turtles round here, so don't know if they eat them. I expect they would.
Year-round fish ponds have made a significant impact on local diet (now of course supplemented but not supplanted by large commercial fish farms) and they do their bit for community spirit. One more source of sanuk.

[Boonsong]

Interesting post, and I love the photos. Thanks for this

[Martyn]

Lawrence your photos remind me so much of Wilai's village which has a river (forgotten the name again) running alongside it.

The staple diet of most villagers is sticky rice and fish. I've seen a few big beauties caught in my time but the locals even eat the tiniest of ones too.

I reckon your local open fishing day is probably a good explanation for what you saw at Si Muang Mai District. Maybe it was a fishing competition, do they have them in Ubon.

Turtles...last year I bought a couple of small terrapins for our garden fishing pond but they died after a couple of days. They were hardly a bite size but Wilai's mother didn't eat them unlike the dead gold fish she once cooked up and devoured. I reckon that's proof that Thai's don't eat turtles because mama will eat anything rather than buy it.