For many generations on the island's southern Caribbean region, Cuban divers have been after the high-valued spiny lobster -- the economic backbone of the town's fishing industry.
Juan Manuel Jimenez lives in the province of Sancti Spiritus in the seaside town of Casilda. He used to dive for lobster, which is sold whole, in frozen form and in frozen meat/tails. But his health no longer allows it. He suffers from high-blood pressure, he said.
"I am the son of a fisherman," Jimenez said. "I'm a fisherman, I was a fisherman and I will always be a fisherman."
Although he no longer dives, Jimenez continues to go out fishing off of the port of Casilda. In the near-shore waters, there is also shrimp, reef fish, sponges, mackerels, billfish and tunas.
Casilda
A fleet of colorful unsophisticated small boats feeds the domestic market and the tourism industry. They are part of a network that feeds the demand for Cuban fishery products, which according to Cuba's Caribex recent report was expected to reach $70 million.
Jimenez and others sell the tropical seafood to the government, which runs one of the country's 14 large processing plants for lobster, shrimp, canned tuna and fish in Casilda. Some of Cuba's regular clients, according to Caribex, are Pescafina and Pescanova from Europe and Maruha Michiru, from Japan.
According to a University of Florida overview of the industry, the other large plants were in La Coloma, Isla de la Juventud, Batabano, La Habana, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Caribarien, Santa Cruz del Sur, Niquero, Manzanillo, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Nuevitas. There are 20 smaller processing facilities.
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Casilda is part of the Ministry of the Fishing Industry's shrimp zone. The high-quality seafood is exported to Asia, Europe and North America. The major markets for spiny-lobster are Japan, France, Spain, Italy and Canada. But the production appeared to have been declining.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the lack of fuel was fatal for large fleet operations, but small boats continued to come in and out of the port. Casilda is a resilient town. Since its founding in 1808, the town has been the target of pirates, economic crisis, wars, flooding and hurricanes.
Hurricanes destroyed it in 1825 and 1837. But U.S. businessmen Federico Freeman and James Fate didn't give up on the town and built a railroad from the port to Trinidad. It was completed in 1856.
The village was part of the original province of Santa Clara, which was divided July 3, 1976 into the current provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus. Records show the first effort to regulate fishery in Cuba was in March 3, 1900. From 1992 to 1994, Cuban seafood exports declined, but that didn't keep Casilda's population from growing.
Jimenez is one of about 6,200 who reside in the town. About 36,000 live on what is known today as the Consejo Popular de Casilda, a municipality. Diving for lobster used to keep him out at sea for a week or 10 days. Now he goes out for a day or two.
"What is difficult about being a fisherman is the time that you spend away from home," Jimenez said.
Humberto Arriola, 41, agrees. He said he has been fishing since he was a child and has no intention of changing his ways.
"It gives us enough to eat. It gives us to live and to maintain the boat," Arriola said. "As always, we can fend for ourselves."
Casilda
Local 10 News producer Michelle Lacamoire and photojournalist Mario Alonso contributed to this story.
Follow Local 10 News reporter Hatzel Vela on Twitter @HatzelVela