Klaten, July 19 -- Thousands of residents gathered at a village pond in Indonesia's Central Java on Sunday for a traditional fish-catching festival celebrating Klaten District's 222nd anniversary and promoting community ties and fish consumption.

The annual Memet Ikan, or Fish Festival, took place at a pond in Gemblegan Village, Kalikotes Subdistrict, drawing residents from across Klaten carrying hand nets to catch fish released into the water.

Children and adults waded into the pond in a lively atmosphere, catching fish ranging from small sizes to specimens weighing more than 1 kilogram.

Supriyadi, 42, a resident of Tambaksari Village, said he spent about an hour in the pond and caught several fish of different sizes.

"I caught about...