MYANMAR Fisheries Federation stated that about 500,000 tonnes of freshwater and saltwater fish and seafood steadily flow into the Yangon market daily starting from July.
The fish spawning season ended, so the Myanmar sea is open to fishing. With commercial fishing resuming, fifty per cent of seafood is distributed to domestic markets and the remaining is stored in cold storage facilities designated for exports.
Kyimyindine’s Sanpya Fish Market and Shwepadauk Fish Market in Hlaing Township are the seafood hub that handles a daily supply of about 500,000 tonnes of seafood, with which freshwater to saltwater fish ratio is 3:1.
“Seafood businesses are thriving this year. Seafood supply meets the satisfaction of both consumers and sellers. Fish stored in cold storage were sold in the market in the previous fishing off-season,” said a trader involved in Sanpya Fish Market.
Year-round fishing might lead to damage to aquaculture resources. Consequently, the department concerned put a three-month halt to the offshore fishing season in the Myanmar Sea from May to July. This year, authorities shut down fishing operations for only two months. Over 20 types of saltwater fish, including Hilsa, Tongue Sole, Pomfret, tiger prawn, squid, eel and grouper, were stored in cold storage facilities through Yangon Port for continuous supply during the fishing ban season, catering to local demand and maintaining year-round seafood availability with the new fishing policy.
Myanmar’s offshore fishing is carried out in the sea territories of Ayeyawady, Rakhine and Taninthayi, and then, seafood and saltwater fish are supplied to Yangon’s major fish distribution hub. — ASH/KK
