Providing for a family from the sea is a hard task given all the work a fisher does waiting for their luck to turn. But families in Konya's Seydişehir have turned fishing into a family business where both husbands and wives set sail at the first light of day.
For many years, fishermen cast their nets with their wives in Lake Suğla, located in northwestern Konya province. 85 families in the region founded a cooperative years ago to sell the fish they catch. The lake, home to many bird species, is filled with crucian carp, European chub, tench and crayfish enabling fishermen to earn a living.
Families set sail early in the morning and return by noon. Men and women take on tasks on the boat that they claim strengthen their relationship as husbands and wives further.
Speaking to an Anadolu Agency (AA) correspondent, Cengiz Girgin said he works with his wife Meryem Girgin every day until the fishing season ends.
He said: "We have been fishing together for the past 10 years. We set sail at first light and return to the harbor by noon. In summer, we take our boat on the lake around 5 a.m. but in winter, we set sail around 7 a.m. We are luck in terms of fish. This year has been a good year for fishermen. Although we are not rich, we are glad to have a roof over our heads."
Meryem, on the other hand, said she is happy to be a part of the family business as well as helping her husband.
Since spouses should always have each other's back, Meryem said: "We cast out nets in the morning and bring the fish we catch to the cooperative to be sold. I am happy to be my husband's sidekick."
Menekşe Önder, one of the most senior fisherwomen in the region, has been doing the job for the last 15 years. Önder sometimes sails with her husband but sometimes takes her daughter with her to the lake. Since fishing is a hard job, Önder said: "We go to the lake quite early in the morning. Sometimes we stay until afternoon. We cast our nets and pull in our catch. This is how we earn a living."
