Fresh fish was being sold at relatively low prices at the Otaheite Bay, South Oropouche and Kings Wharf, San Fernando, as the Lenten season officially began yesterday (Ash Wednesday). But fish vendors warned that once the demand increased and fish supplies dwindled, prices may double in the coming weeks. At the Otaheite Bay, Andre Matas and Vishnu Cyril sold small carite for $15 a pound. Bigger carite and king fish both sold for $20 a pound. However, shark, cavali, butterfish and small salmon were being sold for $10 a pound.
Herrings sold for three pounds for $10. Jumbo shrimp, sourced from Venezuela, sold for $40 a pound, while small and medium shrimp sold for $12 and $20 a pound. One customer, Zainool Khan, said he was satisfied with the fish prices. "I got red fish for $15 a pound and carite for $17. It is a good price but I suspect prices will go up later on because of Lent," Khan said. Retail fish vendor Diamond Hospedales said fish sales were steady during the pre-Lenten season.
He said now that Lent had started people would continue to buy. "They will bawl at the price but they will still buy. Some of them come here before Lent and refuse to buy fish at $15 a pound, but when Lent starts they come back and buy the same fish for $30 a pound," Hospedales said.
Customer Hassan Mohammed said he was not too concerned about the fish prices. "I buying what I can use now. People will come out later and buy and maybe the prices may go up." At Kings Wharf, most of the fish vendors had cleared their stall. One vendor, who gave his name only as "Bhaji", said salmon was the most popular fish for Lent. He said salmon was selling at a wholesale price of $10 a pound, but retailed at $15.
Bhaji said because of the extensive pollution in the Gulf of Paria caused by the industries at Point Lisas, as well as oilspills and gas leaks, fish stocks were dwindling. He explained that once the demand for fish increased, the prices would also increase. Meanwhile, the price of ground provisions went up. Randy Gajadhar, who sold at Otaheite, said white yam sold for $5 a pound while sweet potatoes and eddoes sold three pounds for $10. Gajadhar said despite the prices, the produce continued to sell.