Price of fish for the Easter holiday goes up

It is a busy time of the year for fish vendors and at fish markets as Belizeans prepare to end the Lenten season. It is also a time when the demand for fish increases and so does the price. Fish was selling at four dollars per pound, if you had a head start today, but if you plan to head out to get your favourite catch on Wednesday and Thursday, there is a price to pay for that last minute purchase. News Five’s Isani Cayetano was among those who had an early start. 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The annual gathering of pescetarians, or fish lovers, near the foot of the Vernon Street bridge during Holy Week has always been a spectacle, as fishermen wheel and deal the ever-increasing prices of their daily catch to eager customers.  The cost of fish across the market at this time of year is fairly steep.  A pound of mackerel here at Newtown Barracks also has seen an increase in price.

Customer

“I come and I ask them for [fish] and four dollars a pound they are saying.  I say okay three dollars and they say they don’t want three dollars, they want four so okay I tell them I’ll buy for four dollars.  I’ll buy some fish.”

The price hike, outside of the average expenses incurred, is also the result of wholesaling.  Alfred Ramirez, who vends on Mahogany Street, is not a fisherman.  His profit is realized through buying and selling.

Alfred Ramirez

Alfred Ramirez, Fish Vendor

“Di ketch weh come een yesterday I get rid ah dat and I deh pan di second ketch.  Di man gaan da sea again because ih di try bring the third ketch fu tomorrow weh da di bashment day dehn call it, you know.  Right now di price noh really raise yet, di price ah raise tomorrow when yo wah seh like dehn ya right ya soh wah sell fu like, tomorrow dehn ya wa be eight dollars a pound, nine dollars a pound depends pan di size right. Di small one dehn wah sell fu like five, six dollars.  Some people wah sell dehn fu like maybe ten dollars, you know.  Each and everyone to dehn own.”

While some complain about the exorbitant prices being offered, others have long since come to terms with the overwhelming demand, as well as the business of supplying that need.

Customer

Customer

“Easter da bout fish and we can’t eat di money so we have to keep di tradition going right.  I noh live ya, I live dah LA but once I cohn I wahn my fish.  So if da eight dollars, if da five dollars I wah buy my fish because I wahn my fish, yo know.  Dat da di bottomline, di man dehn go out deh go work haad fu bring di fish.  Yo have to give di man dehn weh dehn due, da no like, you know.  Fishaman job da noh no easy job, da haad job so you have to give di man dehn weh dehn due.”

Isani Cayetano

“Why did you guys choose this location, as oppose to by the Newtown Barracks or by Conch Shell Bay.  Why did you guys choose to come out here on Mahogany Street?”

Alfred Ramirez

“Well out deh ih congested and we gah wah lee competition.  Out ya soh da less people, no problem, no people di harass yo, yo customers dehn comfortable.  Yo look fi di comfort ah yo customers, yo know, and fi your comfort too same way fi have yo sale di right way how yo want it yo know.  So yo organize yo own market.”

If you haven’t had an opportunity to purchase your share of fish before the Easter weekend you have until Thursday afternoon to do so, at the cost of paying a bit more for tardiness. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.