The sinking of the MV Barima has dealt a heavy blow to fishermen on the Essequibo Coast, with many saying demand for saltwater fish and shrimp has fallen sharply as consumers fear the seafood may have fed on the bodies of victims still missing after the tragedy.
Speaking to Ignite News on condition of anonymity, several fishermen said regular buyers had asked them not to go to sea because customers were refusing to purchase seafood.
“I received a call from my regular buyer. They told me not to go to sea because people don’t want to eat fish for now,” one fisherman said.
Another fisherman said many of his colleagues were no longer going out to sea because there was no market for their catch.
He said some fishermen who had already landed fish before demand collapsed were now spending additional money on ice to preserve their catch in the hope that sales would recover.
“We’re saddened by the tragedy just like everyone else, but this situation is also affecting our livelihood. Many of us took loans to buy boats, engines and fishing equipment, and we still have instalments to pay,” yet another fisherman told this publication.
The fishermen appealed to the public not to abandon locally caught seafood, warning that the collapse in sales threatened the livelihoods of families who depend entirely on fishing for their income.
The MV Barima sank on July 19, claiming 73 lives, while 30 people remain unaccounted for.
