Star Use by Fishermen in Oman

Abstract

Ethnographic information collected by the authors on former star use along the Arabian Sea coast of Oman is presented and discussed. Although the stars were not observed directly, some were identified from detailed descriptions and astronomy software. Many are associated with winds warning of danger at sea, a few to tell the direction, and others to note productive fishing periods. Not all stars in the full‐year calendars prepared by others had practical applications. To clarify the issues raised, it will be necessary to spend more time in the fishing settlements, where possible watching stars with people who still remember them.

Fishermen’s Knowledge of Astronomical Phenomena in Fishery Activities: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Fishermen also learn about fishing seasons through their experience of seasonal phenomena. It is practised in the Oman fishing community (Nash et al, 2017), where these fishermen fish in the winter because it is easier to catch the species in this region when the water is cold. However, a fishing group also carries out wind phenomena-guided fishing activities.…”

“…Other than January, June, which is during spring, is the best time to go fishing because, at that time, the fish are constantly moving to the water's surface, and it is easier to net the catch. Conversely, for the fishermen community in Oman (Nash et al, 2017), the best time to fish is during winter (22 August until 17 October) because the fish species there are easily caught when the water is cold. The seasonal phenomenon also influences crab catching along the Ratnagiri coastline in India.…”

“…For example, fishermen in Catalonia (Carbonell, 2012) know that when the sky is covered with clouds, the weather is likely to be windy, and rain is expected. Knowledge about the stars' phenomenon helps fishermen carry out fishery activities (Deb, 2015;Nash et al, 2017). Fishermen in Bangladesh (Deb, 2015) use the stars to determine their time and position at sea.…”

“…Hitherto, studies on fishermen's knowledge of astronomical phenomena in various fields have been carried out. Studies done by Nishida et al (2006), Bezerra et al (2012), and Jo (2018) have examined the influence of tides on the fishermen's fishing routines in Brazil and Korea, while Nash et al (2017) studied how Oman's fishermen refer to the star when operating their fishing activities. The Gorontalo fishing community in Tomini Bay, Indonesia, also used the constellation sign to locate fish movement (Madjowa et al, 2020).…”

Culture and Diplomacy: Maritime Cultural Heritage of the Western Indian Ocean

“…494–503), though it has almost disappeared in contemporary coastal communities. ‘Investigation of star knowledge in present-day Oman provides a useful key to past practice and society both in Oman and the wider region, exemplifying how communities interact with nature and manage their resources’ (Nash et al, 2017). There is, however, no unanimity among scholars regarding the use of maritime charts in the Western Indian Ocean, before the entry of the Europeans (Schwartzberg, 1992, pp.…”