This is an authorized adaptation in English of a post in French by 
: LA LONGUE ROUTE DE MAESHA • Aigrettes Garzettes du Cap Vert
As my primary language is not English, there are probably some mistakes in this post.
All photographs by
MAESHA'S LONG ROAD
CABO VERDE
-LITTLE EGRETS-
Traditionally, in Capo Verde, catching for pelagic fish or groundfish is done using small fish caught near the beaches. These small fish live in groups of several hundred close to the surface. With a little height, it is easy to discern the large black spots these schools of fish formed.
The black spots in the bay are schools of small fish used that can be used as bait
In Capo Verde, the fishermen traditionally capture these prey with a fishing rod. No bait is needed for this: a naked hook is enough to catch them.
Capture of bait using fishing rods
For a long time, this fishing technique allowed to maintain the stock of bait, and fishermen could find it all year round. Unfortunately, the ever-increasing number of tourist hotels increased considerably the demand for fish. So the fishermen needed more bait so that they could increase the number of fishing days. In recent years, the capture of bait with a net has therefore become predominant. The result is that it has considerably reduced bait stocks.
Capture of bait using nets
So that they could be used regularly throughout the week, the baits are kept alive in huge traps in the water. This presence of fish in an enclosed space so close to the surface also interests another type of fishermen: the little egrets!
Little Egret
Little egrets, or Egretta garzetta, are a species of small herons.
The [] name comes from the Provençal French Aigrette, "egret", a diminutive of Aigron, "heron". The species epithet garzetta is from the Italian name for this bird, garzetta or sgarzetta.
[Wiki pedia]
Keepers of the traps
The little egrets quickly understood the windfall that these fish traps presented to them. Everywhere in Cabo Verde, it is very common to see little egrets perched on the edge of the traps and eat fish that even a restaurant would not present so fresh!
Waiting to eat
Flying little egret
