From March to May every year... in the fishing village of Diura located in Mahatao in Batanes... fisher folks gear up to catch Dorado... a high value fish that will pay their bills until the next fishing season.
But lest you think it's a sure thing, it's surprisingly hard work: Before dawn they chop freshly peeled shrimp into a mush and attach it to a small hook to catch flying fish. Once caught, they will use this flying fish as bait to catch the larger and more valuable dorado. Braving the constantly churning seas and unpredictable Batanes weather is clearly part of the game.
Also known worldwide as mahi-mahi or pompano, it's a catch that's worth a lot of money to them. How much money? On a good day a fisherman can catch 3-5 dorados. And if he goes out every day, he can amass up to 150 dorados during the three month fishing season. Each fish is then filleted, halved, salted, and dried. And at up to P1,000 per dried fish halve, dorado literally means gold to them. Enjoy.
But lest you think it's a sure thing, it's surprisingly hard work: Before dawn they chop freshly peeled shrimp into a mush and attach it to a small hook to catch flying fish. Once caught, they will use this flying fish as bait to catch the larger and more valuable dorado. Braving the constantly churning seas and unpredictable Batanes weather is clearly part of the game.
Also known worldwide as mahi-mahi or pompano, it's a catch that's worth a lot of money to them. How much money? On a good day a fisherman can catch 3-5 dorados. And if he goes out every day, he can amass up to 150 dorados during the three month fishing season. Each fish is then filleted, halved, salted, and dried. And at up to P1,000 per dried fish halve, dorado literally means gold to them. Enjoy.
(Pixel-peepers: Shooting against a very bright sky can turn your main subject into a silhouette. If that's not your intent, consider adjusting your composition by including less sky and more foreground. It has the effect of reducing the overall contrast of your image, and allow more foreground details to emerge.)
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