BLOODSWORTH ISLAND , DORCHESTER COUNTY , MARYLAND Shot at the peak of action with all hands on deck , Jay says this photo is special because it focuses on the four men working the harvest together . Watermen have to minimize costs and hiring fewer people is one way to do that . You will rarely see this many watermen hauling in pound nets ”. The cormorants in this photo are anxiously waiting the haul of menhaden . They gorge on the feast , becoming so full that they can ’ t move and have to attempt crawling over the net . It is considered bad luck to kill a seabird , so the fishermen respect the cormorants , even though they don ’ t appreciate the filching of their harvest .
POUND NETS Sam Joiner ( right ) and his father Robbie Joiner ( left ), both from Rock Hall , Maryland , fish pound nets on their grounds at the mouth of the Chester River . Pound netting is an ancient technique still used up and down the Bay . This method of fishing is considered sustainable , because the fish are caught alive and because unwanted bycatch can be released into the water . Pound netting is a very expensive operation : each net costs roughly $ 15,000- $ 20,000 just to rig up and put in the water .
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GREENBOOK | SUMMER 2016