how i'm all about the glamour

part of what i do down here is to collect samples that sport fishermen bring in. this way, I'M not the one killing the fish and i also get to see what else they're catching. i'm looking for one particular species, leopard grouper (cabrilla sardinera), but i also opportunistically collect from some others that i know there isn't alot of information on.

right now, this is the calm before the storm. for Arturo's sportfishing, there may be anywhere from 2 to 25 boats that people hire to go out and fish


a panga pulls up to the shore and the fish and the client are dropped off



they haul these crates up to the palapa


right now they are catching a lot of yellowtail, or in spanish, jurel


the guys filet the fish, wash the filets and bag them up to be frozen so the fishermen can take the fish home to the states. you wouldn't believe how many ice chests i see being unloaded from taxis at the airport. usually i'll jump in and help them bag the fish and translate between the filet guys and the fishermen.


he's fileting one of my fish now


i take measurements of the fish and then i cut the top of the head off with a small saw to pull the otoliths out. this is not the way most people pull otoliths, but this is the best way i've found for the circumstances i work in. i take the otoliths back to the states and cut them up so i can count the rings. for most species of fish, one ring=one year.



this is what's left at the end of the day. and this was a "slow" day


afterwards, we're all usually plastered with fish


the end