After fishing for three days, fishermen in coastal Fujian dry their nets for two days in the sun. "As most of the nets are woven with hemp fibres, they swell easily after being immersed in water and the hemp fibres may rot if not dried in time," says Xiang. "Drying the nets in the sun also repairs them and prolongs their life which is important as fishing boats and nets are the most valuable belongings of local fishermen."