Fishermen Use Traditional Ways to Preserve Fishes

Ali Musabeh, a fisherman, said people living on the coasts always used to save up fishes for the future. In the past, they relied on simple materials and methods for providing them with the vital nutritional elements.

“For them, sea is like a tree bearing fruits all year round,” Musabeh said.

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As soon as the winter draws near, fishes swim towards the warm coasts to reproduce and grow. Sardine, which is locally called Uomah, are caught by a way called Al Daghwa, an old mode of catching fish using a big fishing net with small meshes. The net is lowered in the water and kept there until it is filled with fishes and then lifted.

Sardine is a small fish, growing up to 12cm, and feeds on floating seaweed and mollusca.

Then, there is Al Bariya (land fish) which is called so because they are found close to the shore usually, added Musabeh.

The fishermen dry these fishes, which are found abundantly in winter, and can them for other seasons.

Al Jashi is the best process to preserve and can fish locally, according to Musabeh. Through this way, the canned fish could stay for more than two years.

Small fishes are placed on a nylon mat spread as soon as they are caught at a place that gets direct sunlight. The fishes are dried for three four days under the sun. Afterwards, they are packed in plastic bags of not more than 50cm length. A bag of dried fish may fetch up to Dh120, depending on the quality of fishes. - news@khaleejtimes.com