Photos show Czech fisherman hauling in Christmas carp for holiday tables

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TREBON, Czech Republic (AP) — Thousands of people lined the banks of the biggest pond in the Czech Republi c on Friday to watch fishermen in dark green waterproof gear wade into the frigid water and slowly scoop up carp with their nets.

The fishermen were acting out a centuries-old tradition as they hauled their catch from the Rozmberk Pond — mostly carp that will end up on the tables of families across the country at Christmas.

Czechs consider carp a delicacy and many can hardly imagine the festive season without it.

About 100 metric tonnes (110 tons) of fish were expected to be extracted from the pond. Carp usually account for some 90% of the catch. The rest typically includes pike, catfish, pike perch, amur (grass carp) and tench.

The fish are then kept in artificial pools until just a few days before Christmas. Carp are sold at street markets just before the holiday and turned into fish soup and fried in bread crumbs to serve on Christmas Eve.

With the surface area of 647 hectares (1,600 acres), Rozmberk is a key part of a network of some 500 ponds interconnected with man-made canals that was completed in the area in southern Czech Republic in the second half of the 16th century.

The waterways ensure adequate living conditions for the fish, while the interconnected network have proven to be a reliable protection against flooding.

Carp is derided in some parts of the world but Czechs adore the fish: it is said to bring good fortune — but only if you keep some of their scales in your wallet.

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.