Hi all! I was just checking out the photos and i think i might offer some explanations to why the fish was there.

Firstly, the fish looks like a Queen Fish, or "Sai Bo Kong" in dialect. Apparently, Buddhists do not consume this fish, if you look closely to the photo i attached, there are markings on the fish. These dots are said to resemble the dots on a monks head, so they respect the fish and not eat them.

Secondly, the way the fish was placed. It look like as if the fisherman tried to kill the fish using the "Japanese Method". This is a method of killing a fish fast, so as to retain the eating quality of the fish. This is done by stabbing a fish on its head, just behind its eye, right through to the other side of the head. Thus explaining why the blood was in that manner.

I can't really see the blood clearly, but could anyone describe the texture of the blood? Being a die hard fisherman, i know that fish blood tends to be a little thicker, almost lumpy if left for awhile and there is also a distinct smell, very different from human blood.

Also, i have see uncles fishing there and just throwing their catches on the jetty to let them die, really disappointing as i'm for catch-and-release. Thus, maybe the fisherman did not think that it was a valuable fish and killed it one the spot to prevent it from thrashing. There is a theory that the fishes upon hearing sounds, especially that of another fish thrashing on a jetty or boat, would all swim away. So maybe the uncle wanted to silence the fish so as not to disturb his potential catches.

But, i do not dismiss that fact that it could have been there for other reasons!! : )


Post a follow-up on this mystery here.

There could be two reasons why he left it there.

1) He was Buddhist, didn't want to eat it. But then again, if he wash a staunch one, he shouldn't have killed it.

2) The flesh of a Queen Fish is dry by nature , and it is very hard to fillet, not very nice to eat, and maybe with bigger catches, he/she decided to leave it there.

The board put there could have been used as a platform to fish, so the fisherman could sit down after casting his line into the water, cos fishing is about waiting, if he sat on the rocks, his butt could hurt....

The sad fact is that, many Singaporeans, especially the Ah Laus, prefer leaving their catch to die on wherever they are fishing. So it could have been an Ah Lau.

Another theory could be, maybe he saw something that made him flee! There has been many tales of how X-files occur during fishing trips.

One famous story in the fishing circle would be that of an old lady appearing either from the sea or from nowhere, asking "Ada Ikan Ta?"--"Any fish?" in malay. Most dump their catch to her and flee.

Another is that of the sea devil or demon, think it's the scariest of all!! This Swamp Thing-like creature would climb up fishing boats in the middle of the sea!!! There is a tackle shop in Singapore called Rockin Angels, used to be in Bras Basah Complex, the owner runs fishing charters. He told me that once, while fishing, someone spotted this SwampThing--like creature climbing up his boat! everyone rushed into the cabin till day break..... no one dared take a close look at it in the middle of the night!! My dad also told me, that in the old days, his late brother was a fisherman, and he used to hear the "calls" of this apparent sea demon, he described it as blood-chilling screams in the middle of the sea! Dunno if the calls were made by these Swamp Things, but one thing is certain, all die hard fisherman has experienced at least one X-files in his/her fishing career!! : )


Post a follow-up on this mystery here.