SINCE the reopening of the sea fishing season, seafood has been arriving at Yangon ports on a weekly basis during favourable weather, with products such as Bombay duck exported annually to Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh, according to M&D Company at the Central Sanpya Fish Market in Kyimyindine Township.
When fishing boats arrive at the Central Sanpya and Shwe Padauk fish market ports, they sell Bombay duck to fishmongers at K2,500 per viss. The fishmongers then pack the catch in boxes and send it to cold storage facilities in Hlinethaya, Shwepyitha, and Dagon Myothit (South) townships at K2,700 per viss. From there, the cold storage facilities export it by sea to Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh.
“Bombay duck is sweet with a soft centre, which makes it popular in Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. Domestic consumption, however, is low. It is often served as soup in hotels and is also eaten dried. Due to rough seas these days, fishing boats cannot enter the port every day. All incoming seafood is of good quality. Among the exported seafood, fish are regularly purchased by two foreign countries,” said Daw Tin Nwe, a seafood entrepreneur at the Central Sanpya Fish Market.
The fish are usually shipped to cold storage facilities in quantities of 3,000 to 5,000 tonnes. After being cleaned and processed, they are cooled and exported according to orders. The fish are mostly found in fresh and brackish waters near the coast rather than in the open sea, and most are caught from July to September.
This month, although fish and shrimp are being caught at sea, the low fishing season caused by strong winds and limited daily access to Yangon Port has affected the trade. Nevertheless, the trade in incoming seafood remains strong, particularly for export. Due to the threat of storms, fishing boats entering Yangon ports carry more than 50 types of fish. At the end of September, fewer trawlers are expected to enter Yangon Port because of rough sea conditions. In the third week of September, fishing vessels stopped at nearby islands. Once the waves calm, fishing will resume, and seafood products will continue to arrive. — Oktha/TH
