6-year-old Jonathan Edmund warns: 'We must save our fishes'

TYRELL GITTENS

Growing up in a family of fisherfolk, it’s safe to say that six-year-old Jonathan Edmund knows a thing or two about fishing.

For example, he can identify different fishing techniques and knows exactly what bait will reel in the best catch. He can also name the types of fish that begin with letters from A-Z. Like ballyhoo and doctor fish.

Jonathan, who hails from Plymouth, Tobago, and is a first-year student at Scarborough RC Primary School, recently spoke to Newsday Kids about why he's so curious about fishes.

“I like to see the fishes in the sea and learn stuff about them. I know all about the different ways to fish,” he said.

While his father Michael Edmund, a fisherman, teaches him the practical aspects of fishing, Jonathan watches videos on YouTube to learn more. He loves to watch videos of American award-winning underwater cinematographer and scuba diver Jonathan Bird.

“He was about three years old when he learnt about fishing from his father.

“But how much he knows about fishes has got better as he has got older,” said Jonathan’s mom Kumarie Persad.

Visits to the beach can be an educational experience for Jonathan and anyone who goes with him.

“He knows a lot about different types of fishes at the beach. If he sees them, he could identify them because he could list them off the top of his head,” said Persad.

So, which fish does Jonathan spot the most at the beach?

“I see a lot of fishes especially tiny fishes. The tiny fishes are ballyhoo,” said Jonathan.

While he may see a lot of ballyhoo, which is often used as bait, his favourite fish is the doctor fish.

He usually spots the doctor fish while out on the reef in his father’s fishing boat or while on the jetty. He finds their vivid colours are pretty to look at.

Although Jonathan likes to fish and knows fishing is important to his family, he also knows people must fish responsibly.

By doing so, fisherfolk like his father will be able to fish for many years to come and he’ll be able to continue seeing more Doctor Fish.

“We need to protect our fishes, so we’ll continue to get healthy food from them. When we protect out fishes, they’ll continue to make more of them (reproduce),” he said.

It’s not surprising fishes also help Jonathan relax.

Usually, he can be found using making fishes from playdough, as well as drawing sketches of them. Once, when he was in kindergarten, he completed an entire 100-piece fish puzzle in just over an hour.

For now, Jonathan aspires to be a professional scuba diver because he will be able to swim among many schools of fish.

He hasn’t started learning how to scuba dive just yet, but his parents said they will invest in classes when the time is right.