Natural Pond Bailing Adventure in Bayelsa Unites Community

During the dry season especially from December to March, it is customary for youths and men in communities across the Niger Delta to go into the bush where riparian forest earth ponds are bailed to harvest nature’s given fishes, such as Cat Fish, Mud Fish, Tilapia and the likes.

In most Ijaw communities, natural ponds, considered to be small, are owned by a family or compound and youths and men from the family and compound are the only individuals entitled to bail these ponds.

Similarly, big ponds, lakes and rivers are owned by the community, where community folks; youths, men, women (women not in their monthly flow) are allowed to go fishing in these lakes or river. Such undertakings becomes a festival of sorts; unifying the people.

However, there are communities that make community pond bailing a commercial expedition, allowing non-natives to pay a token to participate.

See photos of a recent pond bailing adventure and bountiful fish catch in Bayelsa State.

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