Sardine fishermen swap camels for jeeps in ancient way of life

Описание: (5 Mar 2018) LEADIN:
The sardine fishermen of Oman make their living from catching small fish that swim in the shallows and they now feature on the country's tourist trail.
They've swapped their camels for jeeps, but apart from that, little has changed over the centuries.
STORYLINE:
Fishermen have been hauling sardines onto this pristine beach in southern Oman for thousands of years.
It's a way of life that's barely changed - apart from the 4x4s and motorboats.
Slipping and sliding on wet sand, these "dhaghiyeh" fishermen are practicing an ancient craft, as tourists from the nearby four-star hotel watch and take photos.
The fishermen fill up the trucks' flatbeds four times with fish destined to be dried and fed to cattle, lambs and camels.
During the long dry summer, shepherds turn to the sea to feed their herds, a cultural practice that some Omanis claim adds nutrients, and perhaps even a unique flavour, to milk and meat.
The Sultanate of Oman lies on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula and the western Indian Ocean.
It boasts deep cultural ties crossing Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Omanis are both a people of the sea and the desert, with maritime and overland traditions.
Salalah, the sultanate's second-largest city, is an ancient port city active today with lines running to China, Northern Europe and the USA.
Days start for the dhaghiyeh fishermen by inspecting the 600-metre (almost 2,000-foot) nets and repairing any holes.
Sami Iskandar, the captain's brother, threads a small hole before the rest of the crew begins slowly packing the three-part net into a wooden boat.
The Iskandar Dhaghiyeh is a family business. Captain Bedr Iskandar leads alongside Sami.
The captain, called "noukhdha" or "ruban" in the local Arabic dialect, says the crew lives hand-to-mouth since dhaghiyeh costs are high.
The nets, ropes and boats cost about 6,000 Omani riyal or 15,500 US dollars and fuel, food, water, trucks and crews costs 250 to 400 US dollars a day.
Bedr hopes the government will help subsidize the crews to keep the tradition afloat.
"We get by on the Grace of God, honestly. Yes, all this equipment is expensive, and with the fuel. I hope the government would support us somehow like with the nets, the rope, the machines or the boats. We hope it will all work out, God willing," he says.
After the first boat is packed with the net, the crew position it to face the sea and a 4x4 pulls the boat into the surf.
The trucks quickly start up to follow the boat along the beach.
A second boat is dragged into the sea.
Captain says the high noon sun exposes the sardines which can look like black masses from afar. Or they follow where birds are hunting.
When Bedr notices a shoal of sardines, he and Sami drop the net which is weighted with "thaql" stones.
The second boat tugs the first in a wide arc around the fish as the net drops to the shallow seafloor.
He explains: "To find the sardines, sometimes we see birds, them hunting, and other times like yesterday it is very black. This colour black, we know it well."
Sami flaps his arm to signal the crews on shore to be ready to drag the hopefully full net onto the beach.
The second boat then brings ashore the ends of two heavy-duty ropes from the two sides of the net.
The crew loops the ropes around a truck hitch and slowly, ten meters at a time, the net is pulled in.
One of the crew leads the rest in song as they scramble on the beach as the fish are pulled out of the sea.
The fish are gathered onto the edge of the net and then funneled into mesh bags.
Later, cattle and camel shepherds buy the protein-rich seafood.

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