 |
| Ho Hum . . . |
 |
| With Gusto! |
I have lamented the apparent absence of large fresh water fish growing naturally out of our rivers and streams, even in the rural areas. Particularly in Central Luzon, where the dry and rainy seasons are quite distinct, the rivers and estuaries typically dry-up completely at the end of the summer months. So, from a practical standpoint, rural communities would harvest fish once a year before their local estuary or water embankment dries-up. The implication of this annual fish harvest is that virtually no fish is allowed to grow to a ripe old age or, for that matter, to develop into an interesting size. Recently, I came across a little known town (not far from Rancho Caridad, which will remain a secret for the time being) that also practices an annual fish harvest. However, it happens to have an estuary that is naturally deep and apparently does not dry-up even at the height of summer, thereby enabling at least some fish to grow continuously over several years (i.e., those that are not caught during the annual fish harvest). The results are delightful as the above pictures illustrate--wild fresh water carp that's at least a couple of kilos each.
