Komiža fishermen - conquerors of the world's seas
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Grad Komiža
From the small town of Komiža, a fishing village on the island of Vis, came people who have left their mark on the world's fishing history. Nikola Martinis - Fishman was the first to bring the spirit of innovation to America, creating the foundations of modern fishing. His fellow countryman Paul Martinis made his name in the cold waters of Alaska and the Aleutians, where he became the legendary "Salmon King", personally decorated by American President Eisenhower. Ivan Žuanić, an immigrant to Washington at the beginning of the 20th century, began building a fleet in San Pedro that would grow into the largest fishing force in the world, and his heirs turned the family tradition into the powerful "Zi Company". The pinnacle of this dynasty is Lawrence Zuanich, who in the 1980s commanded a fleet of thirteen tuna vessels and annually caught one hundred thousand tons of tuna - as much as thirty-fifths of the world's catch. His most loyal collaborator was Ante Dundov Kongo with his Kaljani, without whom this fishing empire would not have been possible. From Fishman to the Salmon King, from San Pedro to Guam, the people of Komiža have shown with their knowledge, courage, and tireless work that even a small town can produce the world's greatest fishermen.
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Points of interest
#1
Komiža fishermen at the end of the world
Komiža fishermen have always been known for their courage and perseverance at sea. Their small gajetas and falkušas sailed far beyond the borders of the Adriatic, looking for new hunting grounds and opportunities for survival. But at the end of the 19th century, an undertaking took place that went down in history – a journey all the way to the very “end of the world”. The “Mardešić” factory from Komiža, which was already known for its fish processing and salting, decided to expand its business beyond the Adriatic. In search of rich sardine hunting grounds, their people reached the shores of Spain, to Cape Finisterre in Galicia. There, salting huts were built, and the Komiža fishermen continued to do what they knew best – to turn seafood into precious food that could be transported and sold around the world. The name Finisterre itself comes from the Latin “finis terrae” – the end of the earth. In Galician, it is pronounced Fisterra, and it is this name that has remained in the memory of the people of Komiža. Because, in their quest for the rich seas beyond the Adriatic, they reached the furthest point right here – to a place that the ancients truly considered the end of the world. Cape Fisterra is not just any place. It is the westernmost point of Europe and one of the most dangerous sea passages on the continent. Storms, fog and strong currents made it fatal for many sailors. There, on this wind-whipped point, the fishermen of Komiža encountered nature in its most merciless form. Yet their story is a testament to strength and determination. They were not afraid of distance or danger – what drove them was the search for fish, but also for a better life. Thus, Komiža, a small town on the edge of the Adriatic, wrote its pages in the far west of Europe. Even today, when Finisterre is mentioned, the people of Komiža proudly speak of their ancestors who had the courage to sail “to the end of the world”.
#2
Martin Bogdanović – Pioneer of the American fishing industry
From little Biševo, an islet opposite Komiža, one man's path led all the way to the American Pacific coast. Martin Bogdanović, the son of a fishing village, arrived in San Pedro, on Terminal Island, where he founded a modest factory of fish products under the name "French Sardine Co.". That was the time when the "doors of ocean fishing" were opening. Dragić's tuner showed that it was possible to move further from the coast, but the fishermen faced a new challenge - how to preserve the catch on long journeys. It was at this point that Bogdanović brought a turning point. The Port of Los Angeles monograph states that he is considered the innovator who first used crushed ice to preserve fish on board. His idea appeared at the same time as the seine, a new fishing tool that allowed for a rich catch in the open sea. Ice and seine - two innovations - opened the way for large catches and long voyages. The factory that Bogdanović founded grew along with the demand. During World War II, when the world was crying out for canned food, his plant experienced a strong rise. From a small business, a factory became known worldwide under the name "StarKist Foods". Thus, a fisherman from Biševo, bringing with him the experience and perseverance of his region, became a pioneer of the American fishing industry. His story remains a testimony to how it was possible to reach the world's shores from the edge of the Adriatic - and enter history.
#3
Joe Bogdanović, the largest industrialist in the Pacific fisheries
After Martin Bogdanović's death in 1944, the family fish canning factory was taken over by his son, Joe Bogdanović. What his father had started on Terminal Island in San Pedro as a pioneering venture, his son turned into a true industrial powerhouse. Joe inherited the French Sardine Co., which was already known as StarKist, and under his leadership the factory grew at an incredible rate. While Martin was remembered as an innovator and pioneer, Joe was a builder and expander – the man who turned his father's vision into a global success. In his hands, the factory became the largest canned fish manufacturer in the world. Along with it, the fishing fleet grew, which grew to be the most powerful in the entire Pacific. StarKist ships sailed the ocean, and canned fish from San Pedro reached tables all over the world. Thus, Joe Bogdanović, a son with roots in small Biševo, became the largest fishing industrialist in the Pacific. His name has remained associated with the period when the fishing tradition was transformed into a huge industry that shaped the eating habits of the planet.
#4
Jakov Kuljiš - Honorary Citizen of America
At the beginning of the twentieth century, fishing on the American coast was looking for new solutions. The first experiments with underwater electric lights, powered by generators in boats, were already appearing. However, this innovation caused fear among fishermen – electricity was unknown, and distrust was great. In this atmosphere, Jakov Kuljiš, a fisherman from Komiža, appeared. He offered a different solution: he created an acetylene lantern for night fishing, simpler and safer to use than the electrical attempts of the time. He managed to patent his invention in the United States in 1903. His contribution did not go unnoticed. The state authorities rewarded him with a recognition, and Jakov Kuljiš was declared an honorary citizen of the United States of America. Thus, a fisherman from a Dalmatian island, thanks to his resourcefulness and ingenuity, entered the history of American fishing and took home a title that few could boast of.
#5
Tone Mihovilović Bejota - Designer of the seine net
Among the fishermen from Komiža who sought their fortune on the distant seas, Tone Mihovilović Bejota stood out in particular. His voyages took him all the way to the exotic waters of the Galapagos, where he fished for many years. However, there he faced a serious challenge: the nets often broke on the rocks and sharp seabed. Instead of giving up, Tone decided to find a solution. He designed a special version of the purse seine – a net that could be shortened. Between the upper and lower edges, at a distance of about thirty meters, he installed shortening ropes. These ropes allowed the fisherman to adjust how much the net would sink when fishing. Thanks to this innovation, the net could stop at the desired depth and avoid getting stuck on the rocks. This way, Bejota could safely fish at a depth of only ten meters, without fear of destroying the expensive net. His ingenuity demonstrated the power of experience and resourcefulness of Komiža fishermen – people who, wherever they went, knew how to adapt their tools and turn the sea into an ally.
#6
John Resich - Inventor of the spray system
At the beginning of the 20th century, many Komiža residents sought a new life in America. Among them was the Resich family. The father, a fisherman from Komiža, soon gained a reputation among his colleagues and the nickname Fishman, and this nickname stuck to the entire family. His son, John Resich Fishman, grew up in the fishing business and knew all its difficulties well. The biggest problem at that time was landing tuna. In the ship's pools, the fish were kept frozen in large blocks of ice. To get to them, the sailors had to break the ice with axes, maces and chisels - a laborious and dangerous job. John noticed that seawater, when salt was added to it, had a lower freezing point than ordinary water. This gave him an idea: fish could remain frozen, but without forming hard blocks of ice. He installed pumps on his ship that pumped salted seawater from the bottom of the pool. This water then passed through cooling pipes and returned from above, sprayed over the fish. In this way, he created a system in which salt water constantly circulated, maintaining a uniform coldness and freezing the fish, but without creating hard ice masses. Landing was now simple, and handling the fish was incomparably easier. His invention was called the “spray system”, and John Resich Fishman entered the history of fishing as a man who made life easier for generations of fishermen with one innovation.
#7
Paul Martinis - The Salmon King
Among the many Komiža residents who set sail for distant seas, Paul Martinis stood out in particular. His name entered the history of American fishing thanks to the extraordinary salmon catches in Bristol Bay and the cold waters of the Bering Sea. However, Paul was not only a skilled fisherman in well-known fishing grounds. He was also the first American fisherman to discover the riches of salmon in the dangerous and uncharted waters of the Aleutian Islands. Where many were afraid to set sail because of storms, fog, and merciless waves, he found new fishing grounds. His courage and successes did not go unnoticed. In 1958, he received the official state recognition of the United States of America – the title King of Salmon. This recognition was given special weight by the fact that the award was personally presented to him by then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Thus, Paul Martinis, a fisherman from Komiža, became a legend of American fishing and a symbol of perseverance, courage, and skill. His name is still remembered today as the name of a man who knew how to tread where others dared not.
#8
Žuanić - Founder of the largest fishing fleet in the world
In the book by A. S. Eterovich “Croatians in California” (2000, p. 534), among the biographies of famous Californian Croats, there is an entry about John Zuanich, born in Komiža in 1885. This Ivan – John – Žuanić, brought from his place the fishing perseverance and knowledge that would lead him on the path of creating a huge fishing power in America. In 1913, he moved from Komiža to Bellingham (Washington). After only a few years, he moved to San Pedro (California), then the center of the fishing world on the American west coast. There he began to create his fishing fleet – modestly, with a few boats, but with a vision that went beyond the scope of a single fisherman. His work and entrepreneurship were continued by his son Larry Zuanich and grandson Lawrence Zuanich, developing the family business within the powerful fishing corporation “Zi Company”. Over the decades, this corporation grew into the largest fishing fleet in the world, a symbol of fishing power and organization, but also proof of what can come from the knowledge and perseverance of one man from the island. Thus, Ivan Žuanić from Komiža became the founder of a fishing dynasty and a man who marked the history of world fishing with his work.
#9
Lawrence Zuanich - The world's greatest fisherman of the 20th century
In the second half of the 20th century, the name of Lawrence Zuanich, originally from Komiža, became synonymous with fishing power and success on the world's oceans. From Lima, where he lived and did business, Lawrence managed as many as thirteen of the most modernly equipped tuna fishermen in the Pacific during the 1980s. In those years, his fleet caught about one hundred thousand tons of tuna annually. When you consider that about 3,500,000 tons of all types of tuna were caught in all the world's seas and oceans at that time, it is clear how important his fleet was: it alone accounted for thirty-fifths of the total world catch. In this way, Lawrence Zuanich created the most efficient fishing fleet in the history of world fishing. His empire, headquartered on the island of Guam, became the leading fishing power in the western Pacific, and his organization and technology set new standards in the industry. A special place in this story belongs to his best fisherman, Ante Dundov Kongo, who, with his Kaljani, filled the crews of Žuanić's ships. Without their knowledge, strength and experience, it would have been difficult to achieve such success. Thus, Lawrence Zuanich, originally from Komiža, went down in history as the world's greatest fisherman of the twentieth century.