A maritime heritage - Bermuda

American Visions, August-Sept, 1997 by Henry Scarupa

Sinclair and Bobby Lambe follow in much the same tradition, but with an important exception. The brothers are among only 16 island fishermen licensed to commercially catch the briny lobster, native to local waters. The pair set their traps at the edge of the continental shelf, five or six miles offshore, at a depth of 120 to 200 feet. They check the traps once or twice a week, using a power winch to haul the wire cages up onto the deck of their 40-foot boat, New Knots. The Lambes have been averaging 80 good-sized lobsters per trip. But a limited season, along with strict regulation of the number of traps that can be placed, makes lobstering at best a part-time activity.

Fishermen feel that the Bermuda Department of Agriculture and Fisheries makes their job more difficult. Fishing is highly controlled to conserve certain valued species, like the colorful parrotfish, which attract snorkelers and tourists in glass-bottom boats. Current regulations require fishermen to use hook and line, a slower and chancier technique than trusty nets and fish pots. Forced to give fish more of a fighting chance, many fishermen retired. Today there are fewer than 200 licensed commercial boats, according to Brian E. Luckhurst, senior fisheries officer with the Bermuda government.

"I've been fishing commercially since I was 25," explains Carmichael, "but this could never be my main business. You just can't catch as much with hook and line. The only way to get by is to have some other source of income. So I have three licenses on this boat. One is for cruising, one for charter fishing and one strictly for commercial fishing. And I have a hard time filling all those jobs, much less any one."

Recognizing that Bermuda's traditional fishermen may soon be on the endangered-species list themselves, just like some of the creatures swimming beneath their boats, the Bermuda Maritime Museum has instituted an oral-history program seeking to record the memories of old-time fishermen. Already, turtle hunters are hard to find, since Bermuda banned the catching of the green turtle in 1973 as a conservation measure. Located on the island's westernmost tip, the museum also displays a fine assortment of archival photographs portraying blacks in shipping, boatbuilding, fishing and seafaring activities.

RELATED ARTICLE: BARGAINS AND GETTING ABOUT

Bermuda is not a cheap thrill, but there are bargains. Exquisite crystal, china and silver can cost as much as 25 percent less than in the United States. The ardent treasure hunter can ferret out ancient and collectible memorabilia, from rare maps and authentic pirate flintlocks to Haitian paintings and African sculptures.

While there are no car rentals on the island, readily available mopeds are a popular and delightful means of getting around. But caution is the watchword. If you are unfamiliar with these cycles, rent from a livery that has an instructor and facilities to acquaint you with handling them before venturing onto the streets. Bermuda's roads, particularly along the South Shore, offer breathtaking views, but in general they are narrower and more serpentine than those with which you may be familiar. Depending on the time of day, they can be quite busy and thus more challenging. Also, don't forget that you drive on the left here!