The ama: a community of female divers in Mie. Sustainable significance of ama fishing

For more than 2,000 years, they have been free diving for shellfish, sea cucumbers, seaweed and crustaceans. They are known as the ama, a community of women with an infectious laugh.

Mie, Japan

Ama simply means woman of the sea and refers to these Japanese women, who practice free diving. According to a survey conducted in 2010, the ama community is made up of around 2,000 women throughout Japan, the most of whom work in Mie Prefecture.

Their daily life

The small community has to abide by many rules specific to the area, where they practice their activities. For example, in the area of Mie the women divers meet for group dives between 9:00 and 10:30 am. An hour and a half of fishing is the maximum time allowed in order to preserve the marine fauna for the future generations.

So how deep do the ama descend? The beginners dive down to 4-5 meters, while the more experienced divers will dive up to 10 meters. Some even reach to an astounding 20 meters.

Their tools

To dive, the ama have all the necessary equipment: wetsuits, goggles, fins. They also have a white traditional outfit in their wardrobe, sometimes decorated with symbols such as the star that supposedly protects them during their dive.

To help them, there is no usage of an oxygen tank. Their tools are simple: a buoy, a net to collect the treasures found during their dive and a long hook allowing them to collect mollusks or to detach seashells.

Ecology

Continuing the ama tradition is not only a cultural issue. The ama are involved in the preservation of Japan's natural heritage. By regularly scanning the seabed, these women have the ability to predict the dangers, capable of accurately reporting various upheavals that occur in the oceans as a result of global warming or pollution!

It is quite possible to meet ama divers on a trip to Japan, especially in Mie Prefecture. An Ama Hut restaurant, for example, offers a tasting of freshly caught seafood cooked in front of you by some ama.

Contact Details

Andrea Leal

91 575 71 21

aleal@cciba.net