One of the oldest occupations and, paradoxically one still pursued today, is that of fishing. Despite Cuba being an island in the Caribbean and people having fished here for centuries, Cubans have lacked access to this type of food for decades, and only those who have a diet based on a doctor’s recommendation can count on being able to taste it, receiving a kilogram of seafood per month.
For years, Cubans have developed any number of different ways to alleviate the crisis, which with different nuances, has hampered the lives of several generations on the island. The low level of wages and emotional well-being that state jobs generate has led to ingenious solutions by many to constantly get around the controlling laws created by the government. These acts are done so that they can get on with their lives and get enough to eat, and manage to dress members of their families, in more than a few cases at the risk of fines or years of jail.
One of the oldest occupations and, paradoxically one still pursued today, is that of fishing. Despite Cuba being an island in the Caribbean and people having fished here for centuries, Cubans have lacked access to this type of food for decades, and only those who have a diet based on a doctor’s recommendation can count on being able to taste it, receiving a kilogram of seafood per month.
According to residents of the town of Bahía Honda, in the province of Artemisa, it is very difficult for those who try to live the life of a fisherman, either because they saw their grandparents live this way or because they feel something for this vocation, such as being able to go out freely in a boat to the sea and to bring the fruit of their labor into their homes or trade it freely.
In the opinion of some of these fishermen, the obstacles to obtaining a fishing permit are many, because the entities in charge of these procedures grant a very small number of licenses. But even if they manage to obtain such a license, they clarify that, there are also other restrictions that detract from the development of this being a good line of work; like only being able to fish on weekends or not being allowed to catch lobster, parrotfish, and conchs among other various species. They can also only catch a maximum of 15 kilograms of fish and are not allowed to use nets. If they violate any of these provisions, they face, for the first time, fines of up to 10,000 pesos and the confiscation of their fishing equipment. If the same “infraction” is committed again, the offender is brought to court.
For all the reasons given above and claiming that the sea belongs to all of us as a matter of conscience, there are many who risk going out “on their own”, and as they well assure, gamble based on their own good luck. “We go out on self-made rafts and are hunted by the police; we are taking a risk, but hopefully we are able to do some fishing and come out unscathed” said one of these clandestine fishermen. The restrictions are many, so many that there are those who believe that this long-standing and island-specific profession is on the verge of disappearing, because most people are not willing to take such risks, nor are they all able to meet the requirements demanded by the authorities.
In these moments when there is a food crisis, as well as COVID-19, a little fish as a bit of healthy food on the table could be a simple solution. However, not everyone is willing to take these risks and it is a matter that the authorities have not given any indication of wanting to solve.
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