Rabo de Peixe, meaning "Tail of the Fish," is a small town located on the island of São Miguel in the Azores, Portugal. The town’s economy revolves primarily around the sea, with fisheries and fish-processing industries forming the backbone of its livelihood. Generations of fishermen and their families live in a close-knit neighborhood near the port, where daily life is intimately tied to the rhythm of the ocean. For these families, the sea offers both sustenance and work, shaping the community's identity.
However, in recent years, Rabo de Peixe has faced new challenges. Drugs, often washed ashore by the currents, have become a troubling part of the town’s reality. The influx of narcotics has led to a rise in addiction, putting strain on the local population and creating a public health crisis. This has cast a shadow over the community, which was once primarily defined by its relationship to the sea. Efforts to combat addiction and support those affected have become crucial in a town already vulnerable due to its small size and reliance on the fishing industry. Despite these challenges, the people of Rabo de Peixe continue to endure, navigating the complexities of their coastal existence.
Rabo de Peixe meaning "Tail of the Fish" is a town on the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The economy is driven by fisheries and ancillary industries like fish-processing. The fishermen and their families live in a small neighborhood near the port and live from and with the Sea. Fishing dock, Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Fresh Atlantic squid. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Kids playing and swimming in the port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Preparing bait for the fishing lines. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Fishermen neighborhood, Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Preparing the long lines for line fishing, a traditional fishing method still widely used by all fishermen in Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Fishermen port of Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Kids playing and swimming in the port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Fishermen neighborhood, Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Kids playing and swimming in the port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Being in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the port was reinforced substantially 15 years ago in order to continue its fishing activities. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
A fisherman preparing his fishing line and verifying the hooks. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Kids playing and swimming in the port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Fishermen families gathering for a weekend barbecue on the docks. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Fishermen neighborhood, Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Kids playing and swimming in the port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Early morning fishing. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
The main dock of the fishing port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Kids playing and swimming in the port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Preparing the long lines for line fishing, a traditional fishing method still widely used by all fishermen in Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Fishing infrastructure at the port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
The main dock of the fishing port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Fishermen neighborhood, Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Preparing the long lines for line fishing, a traditional fishing method still widely used by all fishermen in Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Preparing bait for the fishing lines. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Late afternoon socialising. Fishermen neighborhood, Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Fishermen neighborhood, Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Kids playing and swimming in the port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Preparing bait for the fishing lines. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Kids playing and swimming in the port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Late afternoon in the fishermen neighborhood of Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Teenagers scrolling between the ocean and the port. Fishermen neighborhood of Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Late afternoon socialising. Fishermen neighborhood, Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
The main dock of the fishing port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Kids playing and swimming in the port. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
Collecting the catch of the day. Rabo de Peixe, Azores, September 2018
