While some fishermen pondered over how they were going to make a living after their boats and nets were trashed by the tsunami, some were smiling all the way. They were the few who had braved the warnings and went out to sea anyway and were richly rewarded. The tsunami not only washed up silt and debris. It also swept schools of royal pomfret (tau tay) closer to shore where they became easy pickings. The royal pomfret is prized for it smooth-textured flesh and could fetch up to RM40/kg. It is usually steamed whole with soy sauce. Two young fishermen in Pulau Betong earned nearly RM6,000 in one day�s work when they typically earned RM1000 only for the same amount of labour. This is like heaven sent in spite of the circumstances.

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