TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: After remaining closed for two consecutive days in response to the strike of trawler owners in protest against the hike in diesel price, fish markets in the State opened on Thursday, providing relief to the people.
MAPUSA: The Mapusa fish market also opened. Since the trawlers did not venture into the sea, the fish supply was low.
The fish brought by local fishermen was available for sale. However the prices were very exorbitant and beyond the means of poor people.
Speaking to Herald, fish vendors said unless trawler owners call off their strike and venture into the sea, fish will be a costly commodity. “The prices of fish are determined by demand-supply matrix. The fish that has come to the market is the catch of the local fishermen and the situation will continue till the strike is called off,” said a fish vendor.
VASCO: With no alternative to earn their daily bread, a very small number of fish vendors resumed their business in Vasco on Thursday.
Despite little fish on display, vendors had no choice left but to sell the fish which they had earlier stored in freezers. The fish vendors informed that fish which was sold during morning hours was the catch brought by the canoes.
“We are just vendors who earn living on daily basis. We are helpless and have to continue our business. Little fish that is being sold is the one that we have bought from canoes. This catch isn’t sufficient to meet the demand of the people,” a fish vendor told Herald.
VALPOI: The Valpoi fish market, which wore a deserted look for the last two days, opened as customers rushed to purchase fish early Thursday morning.
The rush was seen till afternoon. However people had to return home empty handed late afternoon as the fish was sold out and business ended before time.
On Thursday, people were seen purchasing dry fish as an alternative in the absence of fresh fish, while on Wednesday many people opted for chicken.
CANACONA: The municipal fish market at Chaudi came alive with the usual hustle-bustle of sellers and buyers on Thursday but the anticipated rush of people was amiss amid complaints of availability of only stale fish.
The Chaudi fish market was lacking any quality fish as only frozen fish of small varieties including mackerels and sardines were available.
People complained of a lack of fresh fish and said that mostly, three day old frozen fish found its way to the municipal market.
Karwari women did brisk fish sale at their usual positions, while some traditional fish selling locations in coastal villages like Agonda, Khola and Talpona among others noticed buyers rushing to buy fresh fish.
Incidentally, most of the motorized canoes from coastal fishing points left on fishing sojourns early Thursday morning.
PONDA: Though the fish markets across the State were closed for the last couple of days, the situation was different at Ponda fish market. The market remained opened as fish vendors managed to bring fish from neighbouring states and from local fishermen.
Some fish vendors had purchased fish in bulk and sold it.
“Though there was shortage of fish on Sunday and Monday but on Wednesday and Thursday supply of fish was normal. Prices were also fluctuating depending on the availability of fish,” said a fish vendor.
BICHOLIM: Though the Bicholim fish market opened on Thursday, fish consumers from Bicholim complained of high price.
There was some fish in the Bicholim fish market as earlier only shell-fish was sold. “Fish was available in the market today but it was very costly and only few vendors were selling it,” said Sham Naik. There was some rush in the market but most of the people complained of high price. “We hope that the situation will change in the days to come,” hoped Naik.
(With inputs from Anil Shankwalker, Pinky Fernandes, Ashraf Khan, Kathy Pereira, Amresh Parab and Samir Umarye)
