1.
MS PAN ACROSS FISHING PARTY
0.09

2.
CU FISHERMAN LOOKING
0.11

3.
LS FISHING PARTY
0.19

4.
MS MAN WITH LARGE FISH ON ROD
0.22

5.
MS & CU FISHERMAN CATCHING FISH (2 SHOTS)
0.30

6.
MS PAN UP FROM FISH ON SPEAR TO GIRL
0.35

7.
MS TOURIST LOOKING ON
0.41

8.
CU FISH PAN TO YOUNG FISHERMAN
0.48

9.
MS FISHING
0.54

10.
MV FISHERMAN PAN DOWN TO WATER
1.00

11.
LS PARTY
1.05

12.
CU ONLOOKER
1.07

13.
CU HAROLD STORCK WALKING INTO HOUSE
1.17

14.
MS TANKS OF FISH
1.20

15.
CU BIG FISH IN TANK
1.25

16.
CU ASSORTMENT OF FISH IN TANK (3 SHOTS)
1.52

17.
MS & CU FISH IN BOWL (2 SHOTS)
2.00

18.
MS & CU STORCK AND ASSISTANT GETTING FISH FROM BOWL (2 SHOTS) AND PLACING IN PLASTIC BAG
2.16

19.
MS & CU FISH IN PLASTIC BAG (2 SHOTS)
2.25

20.
MS PLASTIC BAG BEING TAKEN TO OXYGEN TANK
2.32

21.
CU OXYGEN TANK
2.38

22.
MS TUBE FORM OXYGEN INTO PLASTIC BAG AND BAG BLOWN UP (3 SHOTS)
2.57

23.
CU STORCK
3.00

24.
CU COLOURED FISH IN TANK (2 SHOTS)
3.16


FISHING IN LAGOON AND TROPICAL FISH FACTORY.




Initials AA/V-S/CT/MJB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: FISHING IN FIJI MAKES A COLOURFUL PICTURES. FISH FOR THE TABLE ARE CAUGHT IN A MOST UNUSUAL MANNER, AND BEAUTIFUL TROPICAL FISH ARE EXPORTED TO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD.

THE FIJIANS HAVE PRACTISED A MOST UNUSUAL KING OF FISHING FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. IT'S ALSO A LUCRATIVE METHOD BECAUSE TOURIST PAY TO TAKE PART AND THE FIJIAN FISHERMEN ALSO EARN MONEY FROM THE FISH CAUGHT.

AT HIGH TIDE THE FISHERMEN FORM A VERY WIDE CIRCLE IN A LAGOON. AS THE TIDE GOES DOWN, THE MEN AND WOMEN CLOSE THE CIRCLE BEATING THE FISH INTO THE CENTRE OF THE LAGOON. A BARRIER OF VINES CLOSES THE CIRCLE STILL FURTHER UNTIL ALL THE FISH ARE ENCLOSED IN A TIGHT RING.

AT THIS POINT THE ROOTS OF A NATIVE JUNGLE PLANT ARE PUT IN THE WATER. THIS HAS AN EXTRAORDINARY EFFECT. THE ROOT RELEASES A TRANQUILLISING DRUG WHICH STUNS THE FISH, BUT APPARENTLY DOES THEM NO HARM.

THIS IS THE MOMENT WHEN EVERYONE CAN CATCH A FISH WITH ANY KIND OF IMPLEMENT. SPEARS, SLINGSHOTS, NETS, AND HANDS ARE USED TO CATCH THE DIZZY FISH. THE LARGE ONES GO TO THE HOTELS TO BE COOKED FOR THE TOURISTS, AND THE OTHERS ARE DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE FISHERMEN.

ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE FIJIAN FISHING INDUSTRY IS TROPICAL FISH WHICH ARE EXPORTED ALL OVER THE WORLD. HAROLD STORCK WAS A TROPICAL FISH ENTHUSIAST WHO HAS TURNED HIS HOBBY INTO A LUCRATIVE BUSINESS. HE NOW EXPORTS 30,000 FISH A YEAR TO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD.

TWO FACTORS HAVE HELPED HIS BUSINESS AND WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IT. THESE ARE THE INCREASED SPEED OF AIR TRAVEL ROUND THE WORLD, AND HIS METHOD OF KEEPING SALT WATER TANKS PURE.

ONE OF THE MAIN STUMBLING BLOCKS FOR AMATEURS KEEPING TROPICAL FISH HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE DIFFICULTY OF KEEPING THE SALT WATER INSIDE THE TANK PURE. MR. STORCK HAS DEVISED A NEW METHOD OF KEEPING THE WATER PURE BY USING A TANK OUTSIDE THE AQUARIUM FILLED WITH COMMON GREEN ALGA. BY RECYCLING THE WATER FROM THE AQUARIUM INTO THE ALGA TANK, THE ALGA ABSORBS ALL THE HARMFUL POISONS AND PURE WATER RETURNS TO THE AQUARIUM. MR. STORCK SAYS HIS SYSTEM IS SUPERIOR TO ANY CHEMICAL SYSTEM BECAUSE THIS IS THE NATURAL PROCESS OF THE SEA.

ISLANDERS CATCH THE FISH BY USING FINE NETS OR SIMPLY PICKING UP LUMPS OF CORAL SHAKING THEM TILL THE FISH FALL OUT.

THE FISH ARE SHIPPED IN POLYTHENE BAGS. THE MORE PUGNACIOUS SPECIMENS ARE PUT IN SPECIAL BAGS, SINCE THEY WOULD BITE THEIR WAY OUT OF A NORMAL POLYTHENE BAG. ONLY A TINY AMOUNT OF WATER IS USED TO KEEP THE WEIGHT DOWN AND THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN PUMPED INTO THE BAG IS DETERMINED BY THE LENGTH OF THE FLIGHT. THE BAG IS PUT INTO A SPECIAL FOAM CONTAINER AND SEALED FOR TRAVEL.

MR. STORCK BELIEVES THAT SALT WATER TROPICAL FISH WILL SOON BECOME AS POPULAR AS FRESHWATER FISH ONCE ENTHUSIASTS MASTER HIS METHOD OF KEEPING THE SALT WATER PURE.