Ingenuity at sea: Cubans use makeshift rafts known as 'corchos' to catch elusive fish

Ingenuity at sea: Cubans use makeshift rafts known as ‘corchos’ to catch elusive fish

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In Cuba, few fishing boats exist and with strict controls around acquiring them Cuban fishermen have been building their own. The vessels are named corchos, which translates to cork in English, are makeshift rafts have become a part of the capital’s seascape. (AP video shot by Ariel Fernández, Milexsy Duran and Ramón Espinosa)

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A fisherman carries a makeshift raft on his back in Havana, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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A fisherman places the day’s catch on the boardwalk after fishing on a makeshift raft in Cojimar, east of Havana, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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People fish on makeshift rafts at dawn in Cojimar, east of Havana, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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A fisherman sits on his makeshift “corcho” raft as he shows off his day’s catch in Cojímar, east of Havana, Cuba, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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A fisherman hands over the day’s catch from a makeshift raft in the water to the shore in Cojimar, east of Havana, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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A man on a makeshift “corcho” raft prepares to fish at dawn in Cojimar, east of Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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Fisherman Miguel Gonzalez poses with the day’s catch and his makeshift raft at his home in Cojimar, east of Havana, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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People fish on makeshift rafts in Havana, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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A man shows off the day’s catch after fishing on a makeshift raft in Cojimar, east of Havana, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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Ernesto Abel Casillas fishes on a makeshift raft at dawn in Cojimar, east of Havana, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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A hammerhead shark lies on the boardwalk as the fisherman who caught it retrieves his makeshift raft in Cojimar, east of Havana, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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People relax next to the day’s catch after fishing on makeshift rafts in Cojimar, east of Havana, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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Fisherman nicknamed “El Guajiro” poses for a photo with his catch of the day and his makeshift “corcho” raft in Cojimar, east of Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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A fisherman transports his makeshift raft through traffic along the boardwalk in Havana, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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A fisherman’s catch of the day lays on a makeshift “corcho” raft before being covered and transported from the Malecon sea wall in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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A fisherman carries his catch of the day after using a makeshift “corcho” raft in Cojimar, east of Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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Fishermen talk after a day of fishing on makeshift “corcho” rafts next to a classic American car loaded with garlic and onions for sale in Cojimar, east of Havana, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ

COJIMAR, Cuba (AP) — From a distance, they look like tiny white dots floating on the sea. But get closer, and you’ll see people sitting on polyfoam rectangles.

They are fishermen floating on makeshift rafts that have become common on the waters off the coast of Havana, as Cubans find innovative ways to fish in a country where it’s complicated — if not impossible — to buy a fishing boat.

As dawn breaks on calm days, hundreds of fishermen set sail in their unusual rafts, known as “corchos” (or corks), along the coasts surrounding the capital, including Cojimar, a fishing village immortalized by Ernest Hemingway, who was passionate about fishing.

The “corchos,” which are usually made of polyfoam sheets pressed by aluminum rods, are about 2 meters long (6 feet) by 1 1/2 meters (5 feet) wide, creating enough space for a person to climb aboard with his fishing rod, reels, pliers and hooks. Most use oars, but some fishermen have installed small engines to ease the physical effort at sea.

They may not be pretty, but they float, and the fishermen claim they don’t sink regardless of how strong the waves might be.

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“It’s in our blood,” said Miguel González, 36, proudly holding up an albacore tuna. “We enjoy it whether there’s fish or not.”

Equipped with water for their five-to-six-hour trips, these fishermen also rely on their ingenious “jigs,” handmade squid imitations of resin and iridescent paper, to lure large fish avoiding live bait.

For the “corcho” fishermen, who cannot afford to buy or build a boat, these makeshift rafts mean food on the table and, if the catch is good, some fish to sell at markets or restaurants for extra income.

A small boat in Cuba cost around $30,000, according to some of them, a stark contrast to an average monthly salary of $25. And although many Cubans receive remittances from family members in the U.S., it’s still not enough.

Despite the challenges, the “corcho” men are deeply passionate about their work and have formed a close-knit community.

“We help and support one another,” said Rayner Sánchez, a 35-year-old fisherman. “We all fish together here. If anything happens to one of us, we’re all in it together. Nobody fishes alone.”

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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america