Christine Hochkeppel

Picture Stories: Catching Conch

I followed two fisherman, Joe Strong, 81, and Mickey Saccoccio, 58, along on their morning conch fishing trip in Mt. Hope Bay.

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Mickey Saccoccio coils the rope attached to a pot before tossing it back out on the line.
   
Joe Strong, 80, mans the wheel of his fishing boat on Monday morning, Sept. 8, 2008.
     
  
Joe Strong (front) and Mickey Saccoccio look out on to Mt. Hope Bay while checking their pots for channelled whelks or "conch."
   
Mickey Saccoccio reaches for the hook that he uses pull up buoys.
   
Mickey Saccoccio tosses conch into a tote on Monday, Sept. 8, 2008.
     
  
Mickey Saccoccio pulls in a pot of conch.
   
Mickey Saccoccio coils rope for a trap while Joe Strong hacks up a horseshoe crab for bait.
   
Mickey Saccoccio tosses a crab back out to sea after sorting through a pot on conch.
     
  
Joe Strong, 80, fishes for conch because he says its easier than other types of shellfishing. "It's not a whole day thing, and we like to do it, that's all." Mr. Strong said.
   
Mickey Saccoccio and Joe Strong head in to the Narrows after a morning of conch fishing.
   
Mickey Saccoccio "walks the plank" while Joe Strong organizes his catch after five hours of conch fishing on Mt. Hope Bay.