All play and no work

FRESH CATCH LIMA

Laura Stokes Avatar
Laura Stokes

Restaurants and families get their fish fresh daily from Chorrillos Mercado in Lima. What comes in from the boats determines the menu.

Fishermen go out in the evening, lay their nets, sleep a little, pull up the nets, sort and ice the fish into crates, and come in before dawn.

EVERY DAY, unless the weather is bad.

Small rowboats boats and strong men carry crates of iced fish in from the fishing boats
Cristobal shows us a “Guitar shark.” He is a third-generation fisherman and he still has energy to do it. But he encouraged his children to choose education. One is now a dentist, the other a chef.
Yolanda’s been doing this 12 hours a day for 25 years. She wanted both daughters to choose education, but only one likes to study, so the other will follow in Yolanda’s footsteps. She is widowed and looking for a “younger than 30 man.”
Choose your lunch!

Restaurant spots in the Mercado are distributed by lottery. These women lost and set up kitchens on the sidewalk.

Sand fleas used for bait—gotta be alive!

Each fisherman needs about 10 nets because different sizes and weights work for different kinds of fish. Each night requires an educated guess. Seals wreak havoc on the nets as they compete for the catch.

Jose Julio is 72. He is retired from fishing and makes his living repairing and making nets. With nimble fingers, he can talk and work at the same time, like an expert knitter. He is widowed, but not interested in Yolanda—he wants an American woman. That’s OK with Yolanda—she wants a much younger man.

If the skin of a fish is dry, don’t buy it—it’s too old. If it’s wet and still trying to breathe, put it on the menu for the fresh catch of the day.

Peru is the world’s #1 exporter of fish meal and fish oil, all from sardines.

One response

  1. Suzanne Speh

    The old limatambo international airport used to be in Callao right next to a fish meal factory. The most revolting smell ever!!!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment