NIGHT FISHING IN GILBERT & ELLICE ISLANDS

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aukepalmhof
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NIGHT FISHING IN GILBERT & ELLICE ISLANDS

Post by aukepalmhof » Tue Jun 20, 2017 8:45 pm

Night fishing in low lying coral atolls of the Gilbert Islands appears to provide an ideal environment for flying-fish, which are abundant in the deeper water outside the reefs during the day or night.
The flying-fish is used for eating but also for bait to catch, shark, swordfish, tuna, etc.
The stamp shows the night fishing with flares. The best time is during new moon and full moon and the ensuing three days.
When the people on the island decide to go fishing during the night, the canoes are made ready and the young children and women are told to make the flares from fallen dry coconut fronds, rolled together, the flare has a length of about 9 feet, and each canoe needs around 12 flares.
The scoop net is about three feet long and two feet wide and bound on a pole with a length of eight to 12 feet.
The canoe on the stamp is one of the “baobao” type and has a crew of four. After launching the canoe in the water she is heading late afternoon out of the lagoon passing the surf and waiting till the moon is raising and the flares are lighted, the flying-fish is heading for the light and the net is brought down over or before the fish and only the experienced men can handle the scoop net, during the fishing during full moon the canoe moved forward.
The canoe has flares aboard for fishing around four hours, and the average catch for a canoe is around the 60 fish.

Much more info is given on: http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document? ... lt&target=
More info on the baobao is given: http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =2&t=15857

Gilbert and Ellice Islands 1971 35c sg184, scott?
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