By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FISHERMEN at the Montagu Beach fishing ramp reported mixed Easter holiday sales, citing bad weather, high operational costs, and increased vendor competition as key challenges.

Easter — particularly Good Friday — is traditionally one of the most profitable times of the year for fishermen across The Bahamas. Families prepare fish-centred meals in observance of long-standing religious and cultural traditions. Snapper remains the most sought-after fish during this time, often leading to a seasonal surge in demand.

However, several Montagu-based fishermen said this year’s sales were lower than expected compared to previous Easter weekends.

Marco Fox, a fisherman of 30 years, said his sales were cut in half.

“Things were more like half of what happened last year,” he said. “It wasn’t really the full blast like what we expected, fish-wise and sales-wise.”

He said the limited availability of snappers played a significant role.

Still, Mr Fox added that fish sales have remained consistent throughout the rest of the year.

A seafood vendor with 15 years of experience, who asked not to be named, said both supply and customer turnout were down this year compared to 2023.

He said vendors had to raise prices after fishermen increased their rates, a cost ultimately passed on to consumers.

He also noted that roadside sellers and delivery services made the market more competitive this year.

Gregory Brown, a fisherman of more than 12 years and spokesperson for the Montagu Association, said that while public support remained strong, weather-related challenges impacted overall sales.

“Well, you know the weather is unpredictable, that’s number one, and that’s one of fishermen biggest nightmares – bad weather – so that plays a really big factor in all fishermen going out and catching anything at all,” he said.

He explained that many fishermen could not go out to sea to catch snappers or “Google Eyes” due to poor weather. He also noted that boats arriving from the Family Islands were forced to sell fish at high prices — between $280 and $300 per kit — due to rising operational costs, making it harder for local vendors to remain competitive.

Milton McPhee, a 25-year fisherman, said he chose not to sell snapper this year because of pricing concerns.

“Sales were okay, but we had a problem with the snappers, selling the snapper reasonably because the people on the top end charge so much so as the time it came down to us for us to make a dollar or two, we had to carry our prices up as well,” he said.

Mr McPhee also urged improvements in the system.

“The biggest room in the world is room for improvement. We have to tighten up on certain things and once we do what we need to do it will become better,” he said.

Last year, fishermen also complained of high fuel costs, increased port and business licence fees, and broader economic pressures that contributed to price increases — affecting both vendors and consumers.

Despite the challenges, all fishermen expressed gratitude for the support of loyal customers and remain hopeful for improved conditions and stronger sales in the year ahead.