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.