Beach-seine fishing is an old way to catch fish. A leading fisherman would blow a horn to gather up other fishermen. Another fisherman would spread a fishnet by driving a small boat on the sea, near the shores. The rest of the fishermen would then pull the fishnet together. The fishermen would share the fish afterwards. This is called “sharing fish on strings” in the local language. ”
-
-
Beach-seine fishing dates back to more than 200 years ago in Yilan. Since many had moved out and fish were becoming much fewer, this practice stopped for quite a few years. Afraid the method would be lost soon, the elders in Yilan thus decided to hold special events to pass down such a tradition. In a way, they hope to share with the younger generation the team spirit of fishery villages in Yilan, too. Eventually, they want others to learn about Yilan’s culture and nature.
In fact, beach-seine fishing is a lot of fun for modern people. Working in teams and watching Guishan Island’s beautiful scenery is definitely soothing.