Catch of the night - fishermen return to Laiya, Batangas

There is a fishing community at Laiya in San Juan, Batangas. A spectacle during the early mornings is the arrival of fishing boats with their catch of the previous night. The fishermen likely do their fishing in Tayabas Bay and perhaps the Sibuyan Sea, safe from the poaching of a foreign country in the West Philippine Sea. Here are some photos I took last January 2022 during our quick post-New Year vacation.

Motorized banca arriving at the beach

A fisherman picks up the first few fishes from the banca to be hauled to waiting fisherfolk with their pails and other containers. Many surrounding the boat appear to be family members getting their respective shares of the catch.

Onlookers and those purchasing one or two fishes for their personal consumption

Most of the fish will go straight to the local market where they will be sold for a profit. I assume there will be fish dealers there who will buy by the 'bulk' (or pakyaw) to bring to the larger markets where they can be sold for higher prices and profits.

The fishermen of this boat caught a lot of yellow fin tuna of various sizes. These fish are popular for grilling among households and restaurants or eateries.

The fish are sorted according to type and size

A person with a bamboo pole arrives to pick up a container that he and another will balance using the pole. I can imagine that each container is quite heavy; perhaps weighing between 30 to 50 kilos depending on the weight and number of fish per container.

I wonder if some of the fish are headed for the resorts along the beach. At the resort where we usually stayed, they don't have much seafood in their menu. This is unlike resorts and resorts in Cebu, Bohol or Palawan where seafood are prominently featured in the menus.

Containers full of fish await pick up as more fish emerge from the boat

There were already 3 boats on the beach when the one I observed arrived. I saw at least 2 appearing in the horizon that were also arriving with the night's catch.

The fishermen also caught a big one that appears to be a blue marlin. They divided it among themselves.

Hauling fish from the beach to what is likely a waiting vehicle bound for the market

Fishing boats lined along the beach at Laiya

 

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