Hey Mr. Chen, hope you're doing all right!
Under an intense sun, wearing diving gear, left hand holding spear gun and flippers, carrying a cluster of fish in the right, the fisherman walks barefoot over the rock toward us, with his lean, defined body.
"How's the catch?"
The approaching individual is shaking his head: "The fish are getting smaller, and fewer," he says in heavily Taiwanese-accented Mandarin.
"Can we take a picture of you to put in our magazine?" "You want to take a picture? Ten years ago a magazine from Taipei called Sinorama also carried my picture . . . . "
An old way of life at dusk: Spear-fishing is one of the traditional ways of fishing here on Green Island. The local fishermen are worthy of the name "ocean hunters." When they plunge into the water to take to the chase, they wear neither oxygen tanks nor life jackets. They are thus leaner and less constricted than the typical diver.
The tool for spear-fishing is a self-made spear gun. The shape is like a long-barreled hunting rifle, but it is used to fire tipped javelins, using two flexible but extremely powerful rubber straps to propel the four-foot-long projectile outward. The point is extremely sharp, and aninverted hook is also attached about one inch from the tip, so that the prey does not slip off when being pulled back after the kill.
This method, which has long been in use among the local residents, is often criticised as "cruel" in this age of environmental protection and animal rights. This is especially the case for divers from outside. There they are swimming under the water, admiring the gliding, graceful fish, when suddenly from the rocks an arrow shoots out. . . . the ocean hunter takes his prize out of the water, leaving behind a diver with a pained and astonished expression.
"This way you only get one fish with one shot, and the most you can get in an afternoon is ten or so," retort agitated fish-hunters. This isn't like using driftnets to catch fish or electrocuting or poisoning fish. Often one sweep leaves an area clean, sparing nothing. That's how the fish get to be smaller and smaller, as well as fewer in number.
Moreover, after the Green Island coastline came under the management of the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration (ECNSAA), in order to protect the ocean ecology, airport customs strictly controls some special varieties of fish, such as tropical fish, from being taken out of the area. For those who in the past relied on collecting and selling tropical fish or seashells when other fish were scarce, this amounts to the loss of a source of income.
In order to look after the livelihood of the local fishermen, the ECNSAA does not prohibit spear fishing. "However, we know that some fish are quite rare, such as the parrot fish, which is unique to Green Island. Although visitors love to eat them, every time I take one I feel quite bad about it," he says sheepishly.
Saddled with a bad label? As for outsider divers, Mr. Chen has "some thing I'd like to say": "They go down to the bottom wearing heavy gear, but don't understand the nature of the water; when they're hit by a sudden current and can't get their footing, they end up carelessly grabbing and breaking off and stepping all over and destroying the coral." But it's the local fishermen who get stuck with the reputation for destroying the ecology.
Over these last ten years, low incomes have meant that the sun has begun to set on the spear-fishing industry. Now it is mostly seen as an auxiliary occupation, and Mr. Chen is one of the few full-time ocean hunters left. Having spent a lifetime stalking fish, he has no desire to change jobs now, but he hasn't let his son follow in his footsteps. He says, "He's opened a shop for business--doing business is the only way to have a future!"
[Picture Caption]
"You also came here ten years ago to take a picture of me," says Mr. Chen(left) happily. (photo by Huang Li-li)
The fishing boat returns to port; take a few big ones home for dinner. （photo by Cheng Yuan-ching）
"You also came here ten years ago to take a picture of me," says Mr. Chen（left） happily. （photo by Huang Li-li）
Jade blue seas wrap around the lush mountains. Green Island has great tourism potential.
Dig in with your hands--sand dunes provide endless fun to children. （photo by Cheng Yuan-ching）
Dazzlingly hued tropical fish are all over the Green Island area, beloved by divers and undersea photographers alike. （photo courtesy of the ECNSAA）
Rich ocean resouces are capital for the development of tourism on Green Island. How to achieve "sustained use" is a problem that requires consideration right from the start. （photo by Cheng Yuan-ching）
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