Yabra Fishermen Reel in a Win with New City Market

For years, fishermen in Yabra brought in their daily catch and sold it right along the canal, no shelter, no proper stalls, and few basic amenities. Today, that changes. The Belize City Council has officially opened the Yabra Fish Market, giving local fishermen a cleaner, safer, and more dignified place to earn a living, while making it easier for residents to buy fresh seafood straight from the source. News Five’s Paul Lopez was on hand for the ribbon cutting and spoke with the fishermen and officials who say this market is long overdue. He has the story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

It’s not the biggest project on the city’s books, but for the fishermen of Yabra, it may be one of the most meaningful. The newly opened Yabra Fish Market replaces years of makeshift vending along the canal, where sun, rain, and unsafe conditions were part of daily business, with a proper space designed for the people who keep the trade alive. City leaders say this market goes beyond a simple infrastructure; it’s about dignity, safer working conditions, and giving fishing families a place they can finally call their own.

 

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“There are some projects that may seem modest at first glance. Some of them wont come with all the grand headlines on a national scale. But when you really look closely your realize the power they do in changing lives. Such is one of those projects. This is one of those projects. For years our fishermen here in Yabra were exposed to the elements, in the heat of the sun, in the rain sometimes, beside the canal.”

 

The councilor overseeing city markets says the project highlights a growing partnership between the Belize City Council and the Yabra community, where fishing continues to be a main source of income for many families.

 

Evan Thompson, Councilor, Belize City

“Today is a celebration of people. It is a celebration of partnership. It is a celebration of what can happen when a community’s need it acted upon and heard. For many families, fishing is not just a tradition but a livelihood. By establishing this new market the council is helping to strengthen that livelihood by creating a more comfortable space for fishermen to continue the work they have been doing while creating a more welcoming place for customers to purchase their fresh catch.”

 

For the fishermen, opening the market marks a long-awaited win, a chance to work with dignity, improved safety, and the stability they’ve been asking for as they earn a living each day.

 

Joseph Brown, Yabra Fisherman

“Well it is a pleasure. This day has finally arrived. The mayor, the councilors, the deputy mayor, and everyone made this day finally successful, a dream come true for the Yabra fisherfolks. And, we wish to appreciate this building and take care of it. Bring some new fishing folks interested to buy fish in a safe environment down this side, shelter us form the sun, the heat the rain. We nuh into gang. We into fish and selling. So I am making a statement. This place is for business and business only.”

 

Six vendors will operate from the Yabra Fish Market, each with access to individual freezer space. The daily rental fee is set at just one dollar, a decision, city officials say, is meant to keep the market accessible while supporting livelihoods in the Port Loyola community.

 

Bernard Wagner

“We have put fans for a cooler environment. We have put screen doors to reduce flies and improve sanitation. We also did a new cement fish cleaning station. We upgraded electrical and pluming systems and we did a fresh paint and new signage that proudly marks this place as a center of commerce. Six vendors will operate here, each with access to their own freezer, for a rental rate of only one dollar per day. That is intentional.”

 

City officials say the project represents a practical investment in livelihoods and community development. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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