Jeremiah Benavente, left, an instructor with the Talaya Club, teaches two teenagers how to use a traditional cast net.
DAVID Cabrera, Talaya Club program director, is asking the community to provide research data in an ongoing survey about talaya activity in the Marianas.
The survey can be completed quickly and is available at talayaclub.org/.
The Talaya Club was founded by Cabrera and other on-island fishing and conservation enthusiasts, including Jeremiah Benavente, who is one of its instructors.
According to its website, the club aims to “preserve the craft of traditional talaya casting while fostering ocean stewardship and responsible fishing.”
“The survey will give us the data we need to include in our application for an [Administration for Native Americans] grant,” Cabrera said. “The survey will give us information on the need for the program, the interest, and the support of the community.”
The survey asks respondents how frequently they eat fish at home, how they get fish for consumption, and if they would be willing to learn how to throw a talaya.
Cabrera said the club’s long term aim is to increase the number of talaya fishermen who can instruct others.
The Talaya Club hopes to “produce a progressive curriculum that will include modules on responsible fishing practices, seasonalities of food fishes in the Marianas, developing ‘the eye’ for spotting fish and fish spots, local ordinances and regulations, conservation, and fisheries management,” Cabrera said.
