As catch and sales fall, Myanmar’s fishermen sink into debt
On a recent afternoon, the beach at Jatetaw village was bustling with fishermen hauling their boats a shore and off loading the catch. Local women carried the fish off in bamboo baskets and laid them out to dry in the sun, after which they would be salted for storage. A pungent smell emitted from fish waste strewn about the area filled the air. One of the women, Htoo Mya San, said the work was tough and unpleasant. “I have so many calluses on my shoulders as I have carried fish baskets for years,” the 23-year-old said. “I hope to go back home someday.” Like most workers,she came from an impoverished area in the north of the state to Thandwe Township, southern Arakan State, which is a major fishing area with some 2,000 boats and 7,000 fishermen, according to township officials. The industry sometimes draws workers from poor communities by offering free housing and an advance on salaries to cover bus tickets to the area.
