What!? I spent a night in a Fishing Vessel?!

Yes, as what my title mentioned, i spent a night entirely in a fishing boat! I witnessed how captain drive the boat, how he lead the crew to handle the entire fishing process, how they clean the fishing net, and how they handle the fishes they caught until their boat reaches the jetty and finishing the entire process. Luckily i only played the role as a spectator, else i'll be exhausted doing all those works in, and outside the boat. 

It all started when i met one of my friend who own few fishing boats in KK, i invited myself to board his fishing boat for a day and oh yes, he agree without much consideration! Then, the next day i boarded to his boat happily with my beloved camera gear, Nikon d7000, 1 Wide lens, and 2 Prime lens. (Tamron 11-18mm, Nikon 35mm F1.8G, Nikon 50mm F1.4D) 

The fish jetty is near to KK wet market, and Philippine market.

I met the manager/supervisor of the business, Martin (Mr Cow. In order to get into our ship, we have to go across many different people's boat. This is because there aren't platforms to reach every boat, thus we have to start from crossing from first boat, to 2nd, till the ship we heading to. It is a systematic way of parking the boats. The boats were all connected, so one can go across another boat easily. To the land, or back to your boat. 

People in KK are generally friendly, inside or outside the city. He posed happily for me.  

Entering the boat, i found that it is not an ordinary boat, but it is an quite advance fishing boat among the rest. Despite the heavy duty equipment, the engine room itself is huge enough to freak me out. Marcus explained that the engine room serves another purpose other than generate the electricity for general usage. He said that this is also a sauna room that so hot can make one dehydrated.  Other than that, the giant wheel at the back of the boat keep, and release the fishing net. It is the core facility of the boat. 

Rear view of the boat

Engine room that generate electricity for general usage in the fishing boat.

Giant wheel to keep and release fishing net

Captain's underwear, anyone interested bidding it?

While i exploring the fishing boat, i found there were many small fishes stuck in the fishing net on the giant wheel. The quantity is not tiny, and they carried a same "expression" on their face, widely opened mouth, and slightly tilted body and tail. I think they were on the net for quite some time as the strong spoiled fish odor was easily noticeable under the hot sun.

Fishes that stuck in the net gone dried, waiting to be clean up.

Fishes that stuck in the net gone dried, waiting to be clean up.

Fishes that stuck in the net gone dried, waiting to be clean up.

Look what i found, a dried sea-snake, these are some of the unwelcome creature in a fishing boat, because they generally carry no value to fisherman.

The boat departed from KK jetty and headed to north, for a journey of 5hours to our destination. Some of the crews waked and begin to do their duty, washing the fishing net. 

Does she look like Ace in One Piece? Oh lack of a smiley on his hat!

Assistance Captain on board, a Chinese from Fujian, he really know how to handle the machine very well.

Crew on board only have fancy skin, not fancy clothes.

A raincoat is very useful to protect them against wind, and contacting harmful dead fish meat that can cause them itchy.  

On board, i had the opportunity to try freshest fishes, and simplest way of cooking it for maximum satisfaction. They practice 4C in preparing dishes,
1. Catch a fish from the sea!
2. Clean it!
3. Cut it!
4. Cook it!

As simple as that!

Catch, Clean, Cut and COOK! 

I am in the process of compiling a short video of the entire journey. I was inspired by many Malaysian videographer recently, thus i have the motivation to produce a simple short clips, hope everyone of you will enjoy watching it. Spare me some time, and do not forget to stay "tune" !

A beautiful scene after sun has set can only be seen on a ship.

After about 5hours of journey, we reached our destination and all the crews get ready for their next task again. A small boat full of powerful light source hanging on top is our comrade. It will always remain there to occupy the territory from invade of other fishing boat. And also to attract fishes with the light, allow us to have big catch! 

Small light boat, our comrade.

Hem2, now allow me to briefly explain how the fishing process done. I do not know the exact technical term of everything, but i tried my best to lookup in Google to do best explanation as i can. This fishing vessel uses Seine Fishing method, which mean it use net to circles the shoal with deep curtain of netting, then the bottom of the net is pursed  underneath the fish shoal by hauling a wire running from the vessel through rings along the bottom of the net and then back to the vessel. 

The most important part of the fishing operation is searching for the fish shoals and assessing their size and direction of movement. This task is the task of a small "Sampan" that has light underneath it, to attract the fish shoal around the surface area. 

it only took less than 2hours for the entire process. Fishes tangling all around the netting and wire. And the targeted fishes were all at the bottom of the pursed net. Waiting to be deliver through a vacuum pipeline to the refrigerated storage.

They were still alive when they dragged up by the wheel, after covering by layer, and layer of the entire fishing net in the giant wheel, i think none of them survive because of the hard pressure toward their bodies.

The new batch of fish that stuck in the net, these fishes is not for sell, they will be thrown away, because they have very low market value, only RM0.60/Kg.

Tough and steady, with a cigerate in hand.

He eventually go into one of the storage full of ice pack to help lifting 'em up. imagine its raining day and the temperature in the ice storage is freaking amazing.

Good catch for today, with lucky visitor like me on board, that brings them good luck?

A vacuum pipeline suck up the fishes from the net, in the sea to this refrigerated storage.

After storing up all the fishes, ice will be covered to maintain the freshness of the fish. Then captain have to depart back to Kota Kinabalu. At this time assistance captain will take over the Captain seat to fully operate the vessel.

Sea Gypsies asking for spare fishes , food at the jetty. Life is great, but maybe not for them.

One scope of this net can carry up to 150KGs of fishes, all fishes will be gather and put into different classification base on species.

Unclassified fishes to be deliver to the land.

This will be the last step of the fishing process, separate all the fishes based on species, to be sell to supplier and then to the public.

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