How I hooked up with a beautiful bonito on La Gomera

THE other morning, I was down at the pier in Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera, when a two-man open fishing boat pulled in, brimming with bonito (Sarda sarda), 50cm long, tuna-like fish as beautiful as their name (which means “beautiful”).

I bought one from the men aboard. I was sorry to see that its mouth was torn, (the mouths of all the fish in the glittering pile showed damage), sorry for the fish because of the pain it suffered, but happy for the local dolphins that they were in no danger of being caught in nets and drowning, as happens to 300,000 dolphins annually according to the Whale And Dolphin Conservation charity.

“Pole-and-line” is the favoured bonito and tuna-fishing method on this island. There was no sign of a net in that boat, or in any other boats in the harbour, only bunches of fishing poles standing upright, with short pieces of gut and large single hooks.