Behind the nets, a traditional art of the sea

Building fishing nets and knowing how to repair them in case of tears caused by the seabed or by predators, was an expertise traditionally required to every fisherman, in every community.

Before the advent of nylon and modern printed nets, the fisherman realized by hand the nets necessary for his activity, knot by knot, using cotton or other natural fibers. The realization could take times often very long. This meant that the nets were considered a real asset by the fisherman and that great care was taken to maintain it.

Mohamed Benwan, a fisherman from Matrouh, says “The new generations employed in the fishing sector are not interested in learning this art, that requires time, effort and concentration. Today, there are very few people who know how to do it. I have learned to make nets from my grandfather, also a fisherman. In Matrouh, the fishermen use 8 types of nets with different characteristics, according to the type of fishing they are destined to”.