Fishing Trip

Fishing Trip
Magazine: May 2007

Fishing is the tangy sea air that fills our lungs in the morning, the wind that ruffles our hair, the boat followed by seagulls, with only the sounds of the engine and the keel as it breaks the waves. We can all be fishermen, even just for one day. Welcome to fishing tourism, the new holiday frontier. … SEAFARERS. Watch the dawn break from the little harbour of Ognina. Or go to Acitrezza and its marine reserve, not so far from here, where the fishermen have the same faces and eyes that have seen the same sea. The unflagging life of the fisherman. Fishing tourism is a domain for the young, it must be said. Just like those who work in this industry (as indicated by a Federcoopesca survey), of whom 20% are aged 30 or under and 52% have not yet passed 40. The seafaring people are ready and willing to welcome tourism into their lives, to bolster an income threatened by a shrinking fish harvest and the rising costs of running the boats. Indeed, “89% of tourists said they would repeat the experience”, said Ettore Ianì, Chairman of Lega Pesca.

The sea is the preferred holiday destination of many and the chance to live the fishing experience on a real fishing boat is not to be refused. Fishing tourism means going out to sea with the fishermen and, if you want, not just to look, but also to take part in the actual catch. It means throwing out and reeling in the nets, listening to the fishermen explain what sea life means, learning to respect it and understand it better. And, naturally, it means eating the freshly caught fish. Anchovies, sardines and mackerels are the main catch. But, “we want people to learn about and appreciate the forgotten fish. It is a proposal (or a provocation) that works ,“ says Ettore Ianì. …FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. The development of fishing tourism is directly related to the need of the fishing community to improve their income. “The growth of this market – said Giovanni Loi, Head of Pescatour, the sector division of Agci-Agrital – is strong mainly in those places where the protected marine areas make it harder to earn a living. But don’t be mistaken by thinking that the activity is a stopgap, our people take English language and marine biology courses and have become true tour guides”. Fishing tours take place on boats dedicated to traditional, non-mechanised day and night time fishing, while marine tourism, like agri-tourism, consists of the hospitality of the fishermen, giving visitors the chance to explore the old fishing villages and typical restaurants that serve the fishermen’s catch.