Octogenarian keeps traditional fish counting trade alive in Tainan
Octogenarian keeps traditional fish counting trade alive in Tainan
2026-07-20
Across the aquafarms of coastal Tainan, fish fry traders used to rely on professional counters, who tallied the young fish with the help of a rhythmic fish-counting song. Although modern advancements have nearly wiped out the practice, in Tainan, there still one who carries on the tradition. The 87-year-old counter continues to teach young people about early life along the Tainan coast, drawing upon his wealth of experience to teach an all-but-forgotten part of Taiwan’s fishing culture.
Newly hatched milkfish fry swim around in a barrel as a fish counter uses a bowl to quickly sort and tally them. As he works, he sings the fish counting song, a tradition among the coastal villages of Tainan.
Lin Ssu-ping
Fish counter
You need good eyesight. Once you’re used to it, it becomes second nature. You can’t make a single error. For every one you’re off, you need to compensate for 10 fish.
-He’s very accurate and very fast.
-His voice flows so seamlessly. I don’t understand it, but it sounds like a folk ballad.
At 87 years old, Lin Ssu-ping is the last fish counter in Taiwan. Drawing on his lifetime of experience, he guides parents and children to try out traditional seine fishing on bamboo rafts, teaching them how to use the nets and catch fry.
Member of public
Seeing it once is better than a hundred lessons. You can remember it so much better after experiencing it yourself.
Tsai Chun-feng
Ecotourism development association chair
Fish counting used to be done manually. It required a ton of labor. They could count 100,000 to 200,000 in one morning.
Unusual for someone who couldn’t read or do math, Lin decided to pursue a living as a fish counter. His uniform: a distinctive brown apron tied around his waist.
Lin Ssu-ping
Fish counter
If you need to cross a river or a canal, your lower half will get soaked. The apron is more breathable.
These days, it’s computers that count milkfish fry, driving traditional fish counters out of a job. But this passionate octogenarian proves that although times change, there’s still space for traditions to be passed on to future generations.
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#milkfish #fishcounting #traditional #Tainan #coastaltown #fishing #aquaculture #heritage #folksong
魚苗買賣全靠一張嘴 台南”點漁工"用老經驗訴說漁村記憶
2026-07-20
台南沿海養殖業，過去買賣魚苗得靠”點漁工"，一邊唱著"數魚歌"，一邊清點魚苗數量，儘管時代變遷，這產業逐漸式微，但在台南，至今還有一位87歲的資深點漁工，選擇站上第一線，帶著年輕一輩體驗早期漁村生活，用他的"老經驗"，傳承這幾乎快要失傳的漁村記憶。
水桶裡，成群的虱目魚苗游動著，點漁工拿著小碗，用靈活的手，快速撥動魚苗記數量，口中念著台南沿海養殖業早期的傳統技藝”數魚歌"。
[[資深點漁工 林四評]]
“眼睛要好，你如果算的習慣就成自然，不能有點(差錯)，(點錯)有的一尾就要賠十尾”
“蠻準的啊，他就是算很快”
“口訣也非常的..就是都不會頓，雖然聽不是很懂，但是就像歌謠”
高齡87歲的林四評，是全台碩果僅存的資深點漁工，他用自己的老經驗站上第一線，除了帶領親子坐上竹筏圍網捕魚，還指導拋網技巧、如何撈捕魚苗。
[[民眾]]
“百聞不如一見，親自去體驗的話，比課本上都還要記憶更深刻”
[[鹿耳門生態旅遊發展協會理事長 蔡春風]]
“那時候就直接(人工)算魚，也是要很多人去算，一個早上就可能算了10幾20萬尾”
原本不識字也不會算術的林四評，為了討生活，意外開啟點漁工人生，腰上綁著咖啡色的圍私裙，更是他工作時的特殊裝備。
[[資深點漁工 林四評]]
“你現在如果要過溪，過大排水那邊，就必須要過溪，(衣服)會濕掉，(圍私裙)也比較通風”
現今的虱目魚苗靠的是電腦算數量，人工”數魚歌"已逐漸式微，但8旬的點漁工用熱情證明，時代會變，但漁村最純樸的技藝，透過生態體驗，還是能繼續在下一代心中傳唱。
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