Amid complaints that a higher education no longer means higher wages and starting salaries for college graduates have stagnated for 17 years, 22-year-old Hsu Chin-yuan (許秦源) stands out among recent graduates of National Taiwan Oceanic University because he already own 11 boats and has an annual income of NT$1 million (US$31,983).
According to the United Daily News, when Hsu was a child he used to accompany his grandfather on fishing trips while many other students spent their free time watching TV.
“My childhood toys were crabs, sea turtles and all sorts of pretty fish,” the newspaper quoted Hsu as saying.
Photo: Yu Chao-fu, Taipei Times
Hsu said his fascination with fishing started when he went on a fishing trip with his grandfather when he was still in elementary school. His family made more than NT$10,000 from that trip, he said.
After that, Hsu regularly helped out on fishing trips, and by the time he was in high school he was the proud owner of his own boat, which he sailed to and from Penghu — about 23 nautical miles (42.6km) from his family’s home in Yunlin County’s Haikou Township (海口) — while a student at National Penghu Marine and Fishery Vocational High School, the paper said.
When Hsu was studying at the university in Keelung, he used the NT$1.5 million he had saved from working with his family to commission a vessel, which he named after himself.
He eventually became the proud owner of 11 boats by splitting the costs with his family, the newspaper said.
The paper quoted Hsu as saying that he was the only one in his generation to take up the family business, adding that fishing is a lucrative career as long as young people are not afraid to work hard and be sincere.
“The most interesting thing about fishing is that you never know what you will catch in the nets the next time; there is always a surprise,” Hsu said.
Hsu said he plans to continue fishing, but also wants to enter the wholesale fish products industry to help fishmongers get better prices.
Since the fishing season often conflicted with his class schedule, Hsu said he often had to choose between fishing and school, but finally realized he had to make a commitment, the paper said.
“If the fishing season passes, it is past, but you can always find more time to study,” the paper quoted him as saying.
One time when there was a huge shoal of squid passing the area, he could not resist the chance to try to catch some, staying out all night to fish before rushing to school to take an exam, Hsu said.
Hsu studied aquaculture because he wanted an option in case he has to give up fishing at some point, and has visited China and other countries to learn about their aquaculture techniques, the newspaper said.
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