Fisherman tells his story

By Aruna Lolani 20 July 2017, 12:00AM

God is so good. He prepares everything for his children.

That includes the abundance of fish in the sea, according to fisherman Teni Laumoli.

The man with roots in Magiagi and Saleimoa said he is grateful everyday that there is always fish to catch.

And he has made a living from fishing.

“Everything we own is from fishing,” he said. “It’s our family’s sole source of income. We are grateful.”

Being the breadwinner of his family, Teni says fishing is the best way to make money for people like him.

The 54-year-old fisherman would go out three times every day to catch fish to feed his family and put his children through school.

 “As you can see this is the work I do every day to take care of my family and put my two children through school,” he said.

“I prepare the net and the boat, and then I make my way out to sea. This is the only way I can go and look for some money as well as catch some food for our family.”

Not everyday is the same.

But Teni has never returned home empty-handed.

“This is why I’m grateful,” he said. “Because the fish are always there. It’s just a matter of finding them.

 “Other days I would be a bit tired so I limit our fishing trips to just once. When the tides are good then I try and make the most of it.”

Teni said fishing means fast cash.

“Unlike farming, you don’t have to wait for a harvest. In the sea, depending on how good you are, you can easily collect a lot of fish.

“The more you catch the more money you make.

“As you can see I’ve got some fish and I’m selling them for twenty five tala a bundle.” 

Teni added that fishing is better than working for the minimum wage.

“The fish I catch isn’t only for money; I also keep some for our food,” he said.

“My wife and I don’t have any support so this is the main source of income for us. 

“No offense but fishing is better than the minimum pay people are getting right now. We get to have money every day and there is nothing to worry about.”

By Aruna Lolani 20 July 2017, 12:00AM

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