News

Monsoon Season A Windfall For Trawl Net Mender

KOTA BHARU, Dec 1  — The monsoon is never good news for most fishermen whose source of income depends on the sea, as it is dangerous for them to continue with their fishing activities during the Northeast Monsoon season.

For Mat Yeh Mamat, 62, of Kampung Pulau Gajah, Sabak, Pengkalan Chepa, near here, the monsoon season is the time he takes a new vocation, from a fisherman to a trawl net mender and patcher.

It is the time of the year when he is most sought after for his skills in mending and patching trawl nets, which is what he has been doing since the past 10 years to ensure his family would continue to have food on the table, even during the monsoon season, when he could not go out to the sea.

Mat Yeh said he learned the skill from his late father.

“The monsoon season should not be made an excuse by fishermen to while away the time doing nothing because it is dangerous to go out to the sea. As for me, the monsoon season allows me time to earn a living mending and patching fishing nets,” he added.

The father of two children, aged  17 and 24, said not many people dared to take up the job as mending and patching the fishing nets can only be done by the truly skilled to produce quality nets.

To produce a trawl net takes six to 10 days and due to my age, I can only spend about six hours a day to sew, mend and patch the fishing nets,” he said, adding that he was able to earn RM1,000 a month doing that.

Mat Yeh said he normally received orders for drift net, which is used to catch fish species like kembung, selar, bawal and kerisi, and prawn net.

“My customers will normally get or buy the items needed. They only pay me for the work done, and the charge is RM50 per net, depending on the type of the nets they ordered for,” he added.

One of his customers,  Ahmad Firus Juhari, 30, said he would only send his fishing nets to Mat Yeh for mending .

“He (Mat Yeh) is very meticulous with his work,” he added.

Sources: BERNAMA

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

Pandora Turns Landmarks Into Luxe, “Icons of Adventure”

From Dubai’s skyline to Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, Pandora’s latest collection celebrates wanderlust with a… Read More

13 hours ago

NakNak’s “Pickle & Play” Brings Food And Fun Together

What happens when Korea-inspired comfort food meets Malaysia’s latest sports craze? You get Pickle &… Read More

13 hours ago

Greta Thunberg Urges the World: “Focus on Gaza, Not Me”

On October 7, renowned Swedish activist Greta Thunberg arrived safely in Paris, France, following a… Read More

14 hours ago

Skechers Brings The Heat To The Court With New Viper Court Collection & Pickleball Apparel

Pickleball is having a moment and Skechers just made it cooler. The Comfort Technology Company™… Read More

17 hours ago

Go Organic, Go Authentic, Alce Nero Turns Pasta Into a Feel-Good Lifestyle

Organic, but make it Italian. This September and October, Alce Nero wants Malaysians to celebrate… Read More

17 hours ago

foodpanda Wants Gig Workers to Thrive, Not Just Survive in 2026

Budget 2026 is shaping up to be a big one, especially for the gig economy.… Read More

18 hours ago

This website uses cookies.