Fish sales up

For the first time in about two years, the fisherfolk at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex are enjoying satisfying sales.

Today, vendors and fishermen reported to Barbados TODAY that since last week Thursday, they have seen a significant increase in sales that is in keeping with the Barbadian tradition to consume fish on Good Friday and the rest of the Easter weekend.

They have also reported that there has been an abundance of flying fish on the market, resulting in consumers being able to once again purchase the delicacy at between $15 and $20 per pack of 10. In 2019, people were paying as much as $45 per pack of 10.

When a Barbados TODAY team visited the Bridgetown facility around noon today, there was a hive of activity as transactions took place between scores of consumers and vendors. The ladies in the processing hall were busy cleaning and boning thousands of flying fish.

Paulette Noel who was working in the processing hall, said since last week business has been great. She was happy there was enough flying fish to satisfy customers this year. Noel also noted that this is the first time in a long time that flying fish is so plentiful.

“We are paying $130 for 100 flying fish straight from the boat. And then it is being resold at $20 per pack. This is the first time in at least two years that we see the market like this here. From last week Thursday it has been like this and everything is great so far. I am blessed. I am more than happy,” she noted.

She explained that the only challenge in the market is getting the fish from the boats on time to begin the cleaning and boning process. She said while vendors are allowed to enter the market at 8 a.m., only two persons at a time are allowed to go to the boats to purchase their fish.

“They open the gate at 8 a.m. but then when you go to the back to get the fish it is a problem because of the crowd and you got to abide by the rules and you got to social distance, and then only two people can go to the boat at a time and that is a hold up. Yesterday we only get in this processing room at 10 o’clock and we got to be out by 4 p.m. because we have to abide by the rules,” Noel further acknowledged.

Vendor Veronica Holford who encouraged Barbados TODAY to take a look around the market to evaluate how well vendors were doing said since the market was reopened following the four-week shutdown starting in February, she has noticed that customers were happy to be able to purchase fresh fish once again.

“Whatever sales I get I am thankful for and now to me has been the busiest the market has been in a long time,” Holford said.

Vendor Sharon Bellamy-Thompson said she has noticed an increase in sales from yesterday. In fact, Bellamy said this was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic started last year that she has seen people coming to the market in large numbers.

“We haven’t seen this traffic in a very long time,” she said.

The popular fish vendor noted: “Last week Monday we had a flying fish glut but since then the boats have been coming with a few so flying fish gone back up to $130 from the boat”.

As she cleaned a batch of flying fish, a vendor who only gave her name as Oceta indicated that she did not agree with her fellow vendors that flying fish has finally returned in large numbers. Nevertheless, Oceta said she was thankful for the sales she has been receiving.

“I don’t ever complain. I always give God thanks,” Oceta said. (anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)