Learning to work as a fisherman, children of Toudai Fukuura Elementary board fishing boats/Yugawara

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1205210016/

May 22, 2012

Aboard the fishing boat, the children enjoy touching fresh fish.

On the 21st, sixty 5th and 6th graders from Toudai Fukuura Elementary School (Yoshihama, Yugawara Town) experienced what it's like to be a fisherman, boarding local fishing boats for the day.

The children were split among two fishing boats, according to their grade level. With the boats' tairyo-bata flags raised, they departed from Fukuura Fishing Harbor. After gazing from the ocean at the streets of Yugawara and the Mitsu Ishi Rock of Manazura Peninsula, the boats arrived off-shore for them to witness the operation of fishing nets placed in the area. Bringing up a large catch of saba (mackerel) in the nets, the children were surprised, saying "They captured all that..."

While the children caught kawahagi, japanese bullhead sharks and touched 1-meter long, giant conger eels, flying fish were seen leaping from the ocean's surface. There's was always something interesting to rediscover in different parts of the sea.

5th grader Iwata Yukihisa (Age 10) commented: "Now I understand how cool being a fisherman is. I would like to do this again." Boat captain Takahashi Minoru (Age 52) added: "Not having enough successors is my biggest worry. If even one of these children takes the path of a fisherman, that would be wonderful."

Original text:

漁師の仕事学ぶ、東台福浦小児童が体験乗船/湯河原

2012年5月22日

船上で新鮮な魚を触り、喜ぶ子供たち

湯河原町立東台福浦小学校（同町吉浜）の５、６年生約60人が21日、地元の漁船に体験乗船し、漁師の仕事を学んだ。

児童は学年ごとに２隻に分かれ、大漁旗が掲げられた福浦漁港を出航。海上から湯河原の街並みや真鶴半島の三ツ石を眺めた後、沖合で定置網漁の様子を見学した。たくさんのサバが掛かった網が引き上げられると、「あんなに捕れるんだ」と驚いていた。

児童たちは捕れたてのカワハギやネコザメ、体長約１メートルのオオアナゴを触ったり、海面を飛ぶトビウオを見つけたりして、いつもとは違う海の面白さを再発見していた。

５年の岩田幸久君（10）は「漁師さんの仕事のかっこよさが分かった。１度やってみたい」。船長を務めた高橋稔さん（52）は「後継者不足が最大の悩み。子どもたちが一人でも漁師の道を歩んでくれたらうれしい」と話していた。