So we started out early in the morning. I took the local subway and met up with my friend at another station. We then took a taxi to a marina nearby. We stopped at this "Together cafe" to have breakfast and joined up with some other fishing friends. The menu was kind of weird, a combination of Chinese and British dishes.
Right next door to the cafe was this little fishing store. The rectangular wire mesh thing on the bottom is actually a fish trap. Many similar traps are used to catch rabbitfish using bread as bait!
After breakfast, I took a walk around the marina and discovered a whole street full of seafood restaurants. Note the large aquarium the tourist couple is checking out.
Upon getting closer to the aquarium, I was greeted by two enormous napoleon wrasses! I have never seen one close up before and I was amazed. These brutes were about 3 feet long, and I know they can get bigger than this. They were beautiful! Their turquoise color with yellow-orange markings were just insane. I felt bad as these beautiful creatures seemed like pets, very curious and following me around the tank! But we all know why these guys are here, to be eaten! I have never tried napoleon wrasse, but I hear that they are really good eating. And for sure very expensive!
Check out the mouth, kiss me!
Next to the aquarium, there was this paper taped to a wall.
Wow, cites document! Here in Indonesia, napoleon wrasses of this size are protected. There is a strict size limit (only small specimens) and a strict yearly quota on the harvest of these beautiful fish. Of course most of the exports of these wrasses from Indo end up in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Chinese have a fixation about live seafood, and this fish is at the top of the list.
I wonder where these particular guys came from? Surely they were imported in from another country. I think the waters around Hong Kong are too cold to have local populations of this fish. The weather and water in Hong Kong is sub tropical.
The napoleons were housed with giant groupers, also for the dinner table!
A huge potato cod! Some of these fish are probably from Vietnam. I remember seeing these guys in an aquarium on an island in southern Vietnamese coastal town of Nha Trang.
Right next to the tank with the huge fish, some smaller holding tanks for other live sea foods. This is not a seafood market, it is a restaurant with the goods outside to showcase.
Very strange, I didn't know you can eat horseshoe crabs! These ancient crustaceans are from local waters and are huge!
Cuttlefish anyone? Fresh steamed with garlic... oh man, makes me hungry!
Gorgeous blue grouper with yellow fins. This is a very aggressive grouper. I remember keeping a smaller one as a pet back in the days. I believe these colorful guys are from the Philippines.
Some local razor type of clams.
Blue lobsters anyone? We usually see small tiny ones for the aquarium trade. I hear they really taste good.
Big giant monster crabs from Australia.
Here is a close up shot of one. These amazing crabs have one giant claw and big ones can cost as much as $500 plus in restaurants in the US. Check out the large spider crabs in the background!
Around the marina, there are tons of these outdoor cafes. 
Hong Kong is a place where dogs are treated like kids. I have never been to a place where animals are so loved. I saw many little dogs in baby carriages!
This is a common site. People having breakfast with their dogs at their sides.
Before heading out to the boats, we stopped at this restaurant to buy some roast duck for the trip. Later we would eat these along with other goodies for lunch!
And here we are, the boat dock. From here, we would take a small boat to go fishing on a floating platform. And these platforms look exactly like the ones in Vietnam and Bali! Conclusion
Ok guys that is it for today, keep an eye out for the second part of "Fishing in Hong Kong", coming very soon!
Cheers,
Eddie
No comments:
Post a Comment