Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-06-10
FISHING IN MANILA
DR.. EDw0RDS DESCRIBES UNIQUE ME-
TH0DS OF C0RALLING MARINE
FISHES.
Fishing. One Of the Principal Occupations
Of the Filipinos. Affords Opportunity
for Various Schemes to Attract and
Capture the Finny Tribes.

Manila, p. L., June 1:-Marine
fishes constitute one of the chief food
supplies of the Philippines, and I
bave been much interested in the var
ious modes of catching them I was
along the shore yesterday and my at
tention was attracted to lot of bam-
boo sticks standing out of the water
/ discovered that they formed a fish
trap where large numbers Of the 6nny
tribe were taken The method most
extensively used for taking fish on
this coast is by the construction Of
pens or corrals. which are to be seen
in large numbers wherever the water
is shallow. The sides of these pens
are constructed with pieces of split
bamboo, bound together witt rattan
in such way that long pieces can be
rolled up and transported from place
to place. When it is desired to con-
struct corral at any given point
stakes are driven into the bottom and
the siding is then unrolled and fast
ened to them. These pens are some
times so placed that they surround a
favorite feeding place of fish, and are
immersed at high water. The fish
come in to feed. swimming over the
tops at high tide, and ebb leaves them
imprisoned.
More commonly, however, the top
stands above the water at all times.
A long line of close bamboo fence
leads from near the shore to the corral
which has narrow opening, and the
fish follow this fence into the corral
and then are too stupid to find their
way out of the narrow opening, before
the fall of the tide renders it impos-
sible for them to reach it.
Frequently narrow lane leads out
of the main part of the corral to deep
water, where it ends in circular
pond The opening from the lane
into the pond is surrounded by sharp
pointed bamboo. directed into the
latter, so that when the fish have OF
entered it they cannot escape. The
tendency to run toward deep water
the tide falls results in imprisoni
the whole catch here. and they {
either speared or taken out with !.
dip net. Very large catches are fre-
quently made. The fish are sold fresh
il possible but if there are too many
for the market they are split and sun
dried in which form they find ready
market.
Another method much in vogue.
especially near Malabon, is the sus-
pending of large dip nets from masts
erected on boats, or bamboo RATS, by
means of a contrivance not unlike the
old fashioned we'll sweep. so that they
can quickly be lowered or raised. In
the Tanon channel, and various other
parts of the archipelago, where con-
ditions are suitable. deep water traps
are used, which are sometimes sunk
as deep as twelve hundred feet. These
traps are loosely made baskets. at ole
end of which is an opening protected
by sharp pointed bamboo. The trap is
baited with meat, and fish once en-
tering cannot escape. The line by
which these traps are lowered is
simply a series of long pieces of split
rattan load of stones is necessary
to sink them and these are so adjusted
that jerk of the line loosens them
before the trap is hauled up.
Spearing is sometimes resorted to
in sheltered bays. torches OF dried
palm leaves being used to attract the
fish. There is "a peculiar species of
mud fish known throughout the
islands. called the dalag. This fish is
found in the rice paddles in large
numbers and the natives catch them
with peculiar long baskets which
they dash into the water where they
see the vegetation moving. The fish
are so numerous that many are caught
by this simple manner. The natives
believe that this fish burrows III the
mud and remains there when the
waters go down, to the next flooding
tine, but those Who have studied the
fish are of the opinion that the fish
makes it's way with the receding
water, and is capable of working
through the shallowest water, and
even over bare ground,
like the carp does in
American waters.
Among the sea fish along here are q
number of poisonous fish the eating of
which occasions severe illness and
death. The natives have
learned to distinguish these fish. but
many Americans who came over since
the war have been poisoned by eating
them. The fish around the islands
are of so many varieties that they
have not yet been classified. 1t is
said that there are more varieties here
than anywhere else in the world. It
is here that the much priced shark
fms, which Chinese pay such high
prices for. are obtained. The natives
are tempted to attack the dangerous
shark by the high prices which the
Chinese pay for these delicacies The
fins and tails of these sharks are of o
peculiar gelatinous character which
makes them priced for soup.