KEEPING THE TRADE ALIVE: FISHERMEN IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Seafarers, Lagoon Fishermen, and the Vallicoltori

You’ll see it’s not all about leisure while walking around the canals. As a working fishing port, boats of all sizes line the docks and the piers, each one showing the work of its crew. The larger boats that can support the trawlers and mechanical dredges are the ones that go out to sea, bringing most of the fish in with them.

The smaller boats are the ones that head out to the lagoons, utilizing passive fishing techniques like crab pots and other static fishing gear. But don’t think that these lagoon fishermen aren’t able to keep up; they bring in important shellfish and other small fish that may not be able to be found in the deeper Adriatic waters.  

Vallicoltori are the fishermen in the Venetian lagoon who cultivate fish, a product that is becoming more and more attractive with new government regulations on open water fishing that are aimed to protect wild sea life. Their fish has something desirable for consumers. When on display for the buyers, these fish are lined up beautifully and uniformed in size. This is appealing for someone who wants to make sure everything is proportioned just right and for the right price.

Generational Lifestyles and the Decline of Tradition

We were able to speak with Maurizio Tiozzo, a local fisherman who has been in the industry for the past 40 years. He spoke of his son, who is also continuing in the path of fishing. However, shipowners and fishermen often show a prevailing attitude to favor a different industry than fishing for their sons, due to the hardship of work at sea and the low quality of life. This trend could lead to a tendency for the younger generations to abandon the traditional fishing lifestyle for more favorable and profitable work. Maurizio was also explaining to us that the waters are not what they used to be, with less boats and fish in the lagoons. Over half of the number of boats have decreased in the last 30 years, during the majority of his career. Issues like climate change, lower fish population, and government policies, including fishing seasonally and limited days a week, have created struggles for the community.  We were lucky to meet “a next-generation” employee by the name of Elena. She is the daughter of one of the owners of Grego Pesca, a fish distributor for retail markets. She too is concerned about what will happen in the future, stating, “The fish are becoming smaller and we cannot sell because they don’t meet a specific standard.” With the changes in the fishing industry, will this work be able to survive the next generations?

Continuing Forward in Hopes for a Brighter Future

No longer do fishermen have to work alone, but rather they can get help from a Consortium. The Consortium is economically more profitable for fishermen because it brings together people with different skills. It focuses on complying with community’s rules, which is important for the fishermen’s identity, along with the people in the Veneto region. This self-regulated organization can provide assistance for equilibrium between traditions and innovations.

This organization should be the reason why the fishermen of today can be successful. But when they only hold open meetings once a week, that may impede when people can come and communicate what they need in order to succeed. It is pertinent to keep these lines of contact open for the fishermen, as they are the ones who will be affected by new government regulations, some which may be more complicated than they previously were. Having the traditions of the past is a wonderful part of history, but in order to succeed in this new era, it is important to have regular and consistent communication between all parts of the industry, from higher government officials to the fishermen and everyone in between. That way, this fishing community will be able to sail confidently into the future.