Pêcheurs de Seiches
C est une matinee aux temperatures estivales qui nous accompagne a la sortie du port. Un petit matin doux et paresseux annoncant une journee calme vient aplatir la mer aux allures de nacre sombre. La digue que l on croise se distingue du ciel par la profondeur de l obscurite qu elle boit. Tandis que le ciel commence a attendrir ses teintes virant du bleu nuit au pourpre timide, quelques etoiles vacillantes accrochent le regard hors de la cabine et de ses ecrans de navigation. Elles sont comme des petit phares fatigues impactant le ciel, se confondant aux feux de position des cargos au mouillage...
CuttleFish Fishing in La Rochelle
It is a morning with summer temperatures that accompanies us to the exit of the port. A soft and lazy morning announcing a calm day comes to flatten the sea with the appearance of dark mother-of-pearl. The dike that we cross is distinguished from the sky by the depth of the darkness that it drinks. As the sky begins to soften its hues from night blue to shy purple, a few flickering stars catch the eye out of the cabin and its navigation screens. They are like little tired headlights impacting the sky, blending with the landing lights of the cargo ships at anchor.
The day is not yet up, we arrive on the first net, the engine in neutral after the approach maneuver. One end and one chain are pulled by a set of coarse pulleys.
Pascal has been a self-employed fisherman for 15 years. His life is punctuated by the various fishing campaigns that follow each other on board his 12 meters. April is the season of the Cuttlefish. For some fishermen this season is the most beneficial. For him also, it is a season not to be missed and he will not miss it. This year, for many, the season began badly with the closing of the borders, undermining the expor- tation of this product, largely sent to Italy and Spain. Pascal continues and does not lose hope. Because in addition to knowing where to put his nets, he thinks that if the others give up, it will do more for him.