Video: 70-yr-old Emirati has been a fisherman for 62 years; has no plans to stop

Ahmed Mohammed Al Hammadi, a 70-year-old Emirati fisherman, who started fishing when he was eight, does not have any plans to stop exploring “fresh mysteries of sea until my last breath”.

“There is a belief among us that a boy becomes a real man when he gets the touch and taste of sea salt,” he said, showing his strong hands at his stall, which displays traditional fishing methods at Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival in Abu Dhabi.

“I feel fishing and love for sea are in my blood.”

However, he is missing the challenges of fishing when he was young. “There was no technological equipment to support us and we were following the Sun during the day and stars at night.”

But now, he believes, everything is easy. “Navigation system makes the trip easier and safer. Weather forecast has taken away the uncertainty from our life.”

In the past, sometimes heavy winds made the sea turbulent, leaving the fishermen to the mercy of nature. The living conditions were also equally challenging. He says he had to start fishing at the age of eight to support his family.

Named in honour of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the festival celebrates the country’s cultural heritage and showcases the rich diversity of its traditions.