Fish vendors seek urgent ice access after oil spill shutdown

Fish vendors at the Berinda Cox Fish Market in Oistins are calling on the relevant ministry officials to grant them access to ice, after the facility was closed on Friday morning after a crude oil spill in the area.

Wellington Rowe, a longtime fish vendor, said while they understood the need for safety measures, no one had communicated directly with them about how they could preserve their fish for the following day’s sales.

“We got early notification that the market is going to be closed temporarily… but the whole issue is, boats have gone out and will be coming back in this evening. They’ll need ice to put on their fish,” Rowe told Barbados TODAY.

“We also have vendors here now just waiting to get some ice to cover fish already stored for tomorrow. Nobody has come to the market yet to say what is going on or to accommodate the people already here. We just want someone to come and accommodate us with some ice so that our fish stays in good condition for the consumer,” he added.

Rowe said vendors currently have fish stored in wharf boxes but need ice to preserve them properly overnight.

“If no sales are going today, we definitely need ice to make them suitable for the next day, which is Saturday.”

He said there had been no sign of any officer or representative from the market’s management all morning: “We don’t have any control over it. But right now, sales won’t be as bright for us and for the Bay Garden. Especially since it’s Friday… that’s our big day.”

Other vendors expressed similar frustrations, questioning why the market was shut while nearby businesses, including a gas station, remained open.

“We don’t feel good about this at all,” one vendor said. “Even if the market can’t reopen today, they should at least let us access the ice machine.”

The market was among several public facilities ordered closed following the early morning oil spill, which authorities said was contained before reaching the sea. 

Clean-up crews remain on site, and the area remains under a police cordon until safety checks are complete.

Officials are expected to provide an update on reopening timelines at a 3 p.m. press conference.