Fishing on Socotra

Fishing is one of the important means of support for the aborigines. The locals also hunt sharks; it is even said that they were the first ones to do so. They set out late in the afternoon and sail for 4 hours to the open sea and places known for the presence of sharks. The bait is spiked on a large hook which is welded on leaders from a steel wire and attached to the boat. They fish the whole night and return in the morning with their catch. You can even join the fishermen on their trip and watch them at work.

As Socotra is in the north Indian Ocean, nearly every type of fish can be found there. Giant Trevally fishing is considered as the most significant sportfishing however there is a significant migration of Spanish Mackerel and pelagic crabs, which float on the water and feed a variety of trevally species, including Golden, Yellow Spotted, Bludger, and Black Tip trevally. Socotra has numerous species of coral fish, including grouper and emperor species, coral trout, red snapper, green jobfish, and russety jobfish. Additionally, Indian Permit, tiny Threadfin, Leerfish, Bream, and Bluefin Trevally may all be found and caught from the coast. Everything can be caught jigging, and amberjack is also present. Although they rarely hook on lures, sharks are also present; the most caught species is the fox shark when jigging.