Easter is Christmas for Conch Shell Bay Fishermen
The national holidays on April sixth and ninth, are a testament to the dominance of Christianity in Belize. The mores that accompany Good Friday signify that fasting and eliminating red meat from the diet, are observed across the country. And that is the primary reason why the price of fish increases during Easter. News Five’s Jose Sanchez went fishing with other city residents who used cash rather than a hook to get their snapper.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
The blessings of Easter comes from scripture and from the sea. The fishermen at the Conch Shell Bay market are celebrating the bounty with an increased cost that comes with the high demand.
Krisna “Chris” Wright, Fisherman
“A lot of dedication; a lot of hard work mien. A lot of dedication; a lot of hard work. Sometimes we spend three four days out dah Caye di try make wa lee profit. Then like sometime like twenty-odd, thirty-odd miles go look fi fish.”
Jose Sanchez
Krisna “Chris” Wright
“And for today’s catch, what unu have ya so today; what all different type of fish?”
Krisna “Chris” Wright
“We have barrow, we have cabio, we have jack, we have some snapper, but it almost done now case they sell very fast.”
Jose Sanchez
“Now some people complain about the price of fish at the time of Easter but this dah the time when unu make wa lee extra right?”
Krisna “Chris” Wright
“Of course this da the time we make wa extra; this da like wa Fisherman’s Christmas.”
Jose Sanchez
“What happen ina the next couple days from now?”
Krisna “Chris” Wright
“Well the prices gwen down because we wa have long holiday so the prices gwen down.”
Jermaine Boran
Jermaine Boran, Fisherman
“This fish ya so dah like wa bill. we noh normally catch cabio so right now they di get kinda scarce.”
Jose Sanchez
“What da this next one ova yah?”
Jermaine Boran
“This dah the barrow, the barracuda. The barrow and the cabia di go fi eight dollars a pound and the snapper dah eight too. We got some of them for eight and five.”
Jose Sanchez
“How long ih tek unu fi get all ah denya fish?”
Jermaine Boran
“Three days.”
So you feel like you deserve some of the profits for the lee extras because now that fish is in demand?”
Jermaine Boran
“Yeah.”
After you weigh the fish, people like Pam then get paid to scale it.
Michael “Pam” Moya, Fish Cleaner
Michael “Pam” Moya
“I haven’t been to Caye very lately. I am a fish mongrel on the land.”
Jose Sanchez
“As a fish mongrel on the land, what do you do to earn your living out here?”
Michael “Pam” Moya
“Well I clean fish, I mop, sometimes I hire people, I do my stuff. Last year was better; this year is very flunk up.”
Jose Sanchez
“You make more money on Easter weekend than any time of the year?”
Michael “Pam” Moya
“Well any time of the year but last year was better and this is very flank up. The people are buying the fish very cheap because I know the price is going to hike up to eight for nine dollars. So they come from before and freeze the stuff. I can’t blame them; that’s the business. My business is to clean and stay out of problem from police.”
From as far as Placencia, consumers have travelled to buy from Conch Shell Bay
Wendy, Proprietor of Wendy’s Creole Restaurant
Wendy
“We come all the way to Belize to get fish from Placencia can you imagine that.”
Jose Sanchez
“Unu noh have fish da Placencia?”
Wendy
“No, no fish noh deh dah Placencia; the fisherman dehn gone. And the price ridiculous today.”
Jose Sanchez
“Some people bought from before, but maybe next year you wah do that?”
Wendy
“Well I will. I will buy as much as I can for the business.”
Jose Sanchez
“Miss Stephanie, what do you think about the price of fish?”
Miss Stephanie, Consumer
Miss Stephanie
“Well just now I got mad because they said the price of fish was seven dollars a pound, but I found somebody else that sold the fish for a reasonable price which si four dollars a pound that I can afford. So it is good so far.”
Jose Sanchez
“But you really need the fish this time a year.”
Miss Stephanie
“Yes because it is good. We need to give the lord a wonderful blessing for the Easter.
Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.
I think if you cant buy the fish because “no money de”. God will not ponish you. If you only have meat eat it specially if you have children and older people da yo house. The priest and the rich will eat lobster. But God loves you just as much if not more.