MARANG: The annual monsoon season may bring floods, but for a group of 20 men from Kampung Banggol Kapas, it is also a season of abundance with the arrival of various river fish species.
The once-a-year opportunity allows them to catch up to 200kg of fish a day in the nearby Banggol Katong River, earning as much as RM1,000 daily.
Ahmad Nuresyam Japri (pic below, second from left), 35, said that when the monsoon arrives, they will take turns casting nets and setting fish traps from morning to evening, especially after heavy rain.
"We set up about six nets and traps. The fish we usually get are lampam, but sometimes we catch rarer and more expensive species like kelah, terubuk and baung.
"But it’s not every day that we get a big haul. The fish only appear when the river rises. So after heavy rain, we’re always ready to start fishing," he told reporters at the riverbank.
Ahmad Nuresyam, who does odd jobs in the village, said they sell all fish, including those premium species, at just RM5 per kilogramme.
This, he said, is to give villagers the chance to enjoy fresh river fish at an affordable price.
"Right after pulling up the nets, we sell the fish at a small shelter near the river. So the fish is very fresh and very cheap.
"People from outside the village also come to buy. Even without promotions or social media posts, word has spread," he added.
Having fished during the flood season for 20 years, Ahmad Nuresyam said their earnings are usually spent on small gatherings and meals together.
Meanwhile, another villager, Mohammad Kamarudi Kassin, 32, said he never misses the chance to buy the fish each year.
"I usually buy about two kilos to enjoy with my family. River fish is delicious, even just fried with salt and turmeric and eaten with hot rice and budu (fermented anchovy sauce)," he said. - Bernama
