RADHICA DE SILVA
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Unable to afford expensive fish, consumers in south Trinidad are opting to purchase cheaper and less popular varieties of fish as the Lenten season progresses.
At the Otaheite Fishing Bay on Wednesday, customers were seen buying herrings, sardines, catfish and shark, rather than the usually popular carite, kingfish and ancho.
Speaking to Guardian Media, fisherman Irwin Garraway Allama said this was not surprising.
“Things hard now you know. Catfish real selling now and racando. Long time these were fish that people used to run from. They never eat it. But now everybody eating it. Woman, man and child eating it because that is all they can afford,” Allama said.
At the Bay herrings, which sold as cheap as $3 per pound last year, were retailing at $15 per pound on Wednesday. Shark sold for $20 per pound while carite sold between $50 to $60 per pound.
Explaining the exorbitant prices, boat owner Ketama Henry said the cost of fuel was affecting fish prices.
“We not holding fish in the shallow. The cost of fuel to reach quite out in the deep is very expensive. Things hard for us too. The cheaper fish that people buying is like rakando and herring. But that and all are getting expensive because it costing a man $800 and $900 to go out there and sometimes not every day you go hold fish,” he said.
He added: “The price of fish will reduce when fishermen get cheaper fuel.”
He called on the government to provide a fuel subsidy for fisherfolk.
“Before we used to have regular gas but we don’t get that now,” he said.
Meanwhile, fish vendor Avinash Battoo explained why herrings, sardines and other “shallow water fish” were getting expensive.
He said the last oil spill in the Gulf of Paria had affected their fishing grounds and hatcheries.
“We don’t hold fish in the shallow like we once did. They mash up everything with that oil spill so now we have to go further out to get fish,” Battoo explained.
He said while they sympathised with the public, they were trying their best to keep the prices as affordable as possible.
“People come here every day and they are always short. They cannot buy the expensive fish so sometimes we have to just give it to them if they don’t have all the money,” Battoo explained.
Eversley Sookram, who works as a fisherman said it was becoming even more difficult to earn a livelihood as a fisherman.
“It is better if you work construction because when you go out there to fish and you spend between $800 and $1,000 for fuel to go out, you not sure that you coming back with a catch to cover your expenses,” he said.
The fishermen say they expect fish prices to remain high during Lent.
