By Esther Zoza
HAVANA TIMES – Living on an island makes us addicted to the sea and everything that comes from it. However, we have carried the burden of being unable to access free fishing. For many, living off the sea was never a viable option.
For years, fishermen have been condemned to paying fines and having their catch confiscated. Only those with a license can access the sea and rivers without fear. Fishing without authorization has become a feat for many: for those in need, it’s a risk. Looking around for an inspector who might confiscate and fine both the fisherman and the buyer has been part of everyday life.
Most Cubans find it impossible to understand why rod or line fishing requires authorization, especially in today’s Cuba, where bringing something to eat home is a real challenge. There is no hope of solving the food supply issue, and much less any understanding of the absence of fish on an island.
Most Cubans grew up or grew old hearing about the deterioration of fishing vessels, the insufficient supplies of fishing gear, the breakdown of ice plants, and above all, the lack of nutrients in our waters, despite there being hundreds of rivers and streams throughout the national territory, plus the sea.
Finding fishermen early in the morning on the iron bridge over the Almendares River in our capital made me smile. The scene was complete: sea and fishermen in a natural symbiosis, fishermen who refuse to give up, fishermen who make things happen and who allowed me to photograph them without fear.
For a moment, I closed my eyes and remembered what a day out with my parents along the Malecon used to be like: the Havana Malecon full of fishermen, kids peeking into buckets full of fish, looking into little boxes of shiny hooks; and I allowed my tears to flow. Today, those Cuban families would have food secured.
Read more from the diary of Esther Zoza here.
