Sting Ray 12

While not usually used for food, sting-rays, sharks, and skates are important to the fishing industry itself. The livers are harvested by specialists in the village who boil them down to make a thick, malodorous oil. This oil is spread over the wooden hulls in order to water-proof them and protect the wood from destruction by marine organisms. This oil stained clothing, so eventually, I had specific sets of shalwar-kameez that I would use for fishing. The stains and odor never seemed to come out of the clothing, no matter how hard I laundered them!

Occasionally, sharks are eaten by the local population. With some of the younger fisherfolk, we cooked some shark meat in an onion and curry base and ate it with chapattis while sitting on the veranda of my primitive hut. The shark was very tasty and we talked about village life, fishing, and global politics till late in the evening.