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Extra income

Francesco and Nino were won over faster than they had
expected. One experience was all it took to make them
realise what they had to gain from pescaturismo: extra
income to help make ends meet during the winter months
and a certain value added to their trade. ‘We earn twice
with pescaturismo: with our fishing and with the tourists.
It suits us quite well’, recognises Francesco.

Only two vessels practice pescaturismo in Marettimo,
but this summer their number will rise to four. Davide
Tumbiarello, commander of the harbour master’s office,
issues the authorisations. ‘The national decree regulating
pescaturismo is very strict’, explains Davide. ‘Vessels © Mostra! Tourists discover how fishing nets are handled through
have to go through regular technical inspections and the pescaturismo.
fishermen have to demonstrate recognised experience.
Finally, the number of persons allowed to board is limited.
We authorise at most six people on an 8-metre vessel and
eight on a 12-metre vessel. The boat also has to be safe
and regularly maintained.’

The activity begins early in the day, when the sea and the continues: ‘The public attracted by pescaturismo includes
sky merge. The small fishing vessel heads out towards the gourmets and people interested in nature and in local
translucent waters where the skipper set out his fixed net traditions. The practice also adds value to the cultural
the day before. Nino is at the controls and starts hauling heritage.’
in the gear. Francesco pulls on the net. The tourists watch
as a variety of species become trapped in the mesh: Recently, ittiturismo has seen the light of day. This second
cuttlefish, octopus, black and red scorpionfish, blue- means of diversification consists, sometimes in tandem
spotted seabream, spiny lobster, white seabream, red with pescaturismo, in offering the public bed and board
mullet and lapana. After a good half hour or so, the net in fishermen’s homes. Francesco has a small one-bedroom
has been pulled completely out of the water. Francesco flat that he lets out to holidaymakers. ‘Ittiturismo is in its
immediately starts taking out the catch. The engine infancy,’ concludes Ettore Ianì, ‘and the legislation is not
slows. Nino joins him at the stern end of the vessel. The yet complete. But we are convinced it can work, and might
fish are stored one by one in a large basket filled with even steal a lead over pescaturismo. Ittiturismo does not
water. The father and son invite their guests for the day depend on the weather and has no age limits. Going out
on a fishing vessel requires a certain adaptability and not
© Sakis Trigonidis À la carte everyone is up to it.’
to take part in their work.

A consortium of co-operatives interested in pescaturismo
Depending on demand, the fishermen then propose either
organises and promotes these new forms of tourism with
a sampling of the catch on board or a trip around the and ittiturismo has been created in the Lega Pesca. It
island. ‘Sometimes the tourists also buy fish to take home. the public, especially via internet, brochures and the
It’s a bit à la carte’, resumes the Co-operative President. media. Salvatore Braschi recently entered into contact
The trip costs 17 euros for a half-day. The fisherman keeps with a fishermen’s co-operative in Kavala, Greece, which
15 and the rest goes to the co-operative. would like to launch into this activity. Sign of a spreading
success story?
A lot of fishermen in the Egadi Islands still need to be
convinced to join in the practice of pescaturismo, a job
the co-operative is taking on. It organises conferences
and even offers financial assistance, together with the
Environment Ministry and the Municipality of Favignana,
to place vessels in conformity with standards. The co-
operative is also carrying out a huge promotion campaign
with tourists and it is starting to pay off. Ettore Ianì

Fishing in Europe | n° 18 - August 2003 | 5