Catch of the Day

In these hard economic times, the one reassurance that Belizeans have that they can still afford a healthy meal is that there is still enough fish in our waters and that fresh fish is still available to Belizeans who can afford to pay between $3 and $5 per pound.

In the predawn hours on weekday mornings, two brothers, Arnold Flowers and Edmund “The Body” Reynolds pull up anchor and set out on their 18 feet skiff “Turbo,” heading south east for their favourite fishing spot.  After casting nets to find bait in the shallow flats, the men set out in hopes of a good catch.

By 3:00 p.m. the two brothers can be seen coasting into harbour and headed for their usual spot just where Marine Parade meets Princess Margaret Drive, where they off load their catch.   Their arrival invites a flurry of activity as the local scrapers gather around, equipped with the sharpest knives, cutting boards, scaling tools and other fish cleaning equipment.

As quickly as they arrive active commerce commence and the harmony between the fisherman, scraper and the customer occur amidst the gaggle of the day’s news, the weather and the competition for attention as scrapers compete for the job of cleaning the fish, an activity separated from the actual purchase price.

In the midst of all the activity and commerce there is always that important conversation about the importance of fresh fish which these men will tell you typically contains good amounts of proteins and fats, and which helps the memory and keeps our immune systems and eyesight in peak condition, since it is a good source of vitamins A and D.

Fish has always been the preferred food of most Belizeans, especially those who strive for a healthier lifestyle.  White fish in particular is more easily digested than meat therefore it is ideal for people with digestive problems. Unlike meat, the fat in fish consists mostly of oils containing unsaturated fatty acids and these essential fatty acids in oily fish are of tremendous benefit to good health.

While in some parts of the country tilapia, a fresh water fish is becoming more popular,  saltwater fish, which can be divided into two types, pelagic fish (which swim near the surface) and demersal fish (which swim near the bottom), are still the more popular on the Belizean dinner plate. Fish which swim closer to the surface like barracuda and those from the deeper levels like the grouper are the first to go when they appear for sale.  Together with the red snapper and other tasty fish like rock fish and snook, they are all beneficial to the Belizean diet.

Each week Arnold and Edmond “The Body” bring in around 300 to 350 pounds of fish and as motorists drive by Marine Parade on the way home from work, they stop to make their purchase and to join in the conversation, which is always interrupted with laughter, another part of our Belizean healthy lifestyle.

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