New stalls to sell the catch of local fishermen are to be constructed next to the Fagatogo marketplace.
Director of Commerce Fuiavailili Keniseli Lafaele informed senators that the plan is to build the stalls by the end of the year.
Fuiavailili was testifying at a hearing of the Senate Fisheries Committee which addressed senators’ concerns about fish being sold in open air fully exposed, without proper refrigeration and shelter.
Also called to the same hearing were Director of Health Motusa Tuileama Nua and Public Works Director Faleosina Voigt.
According to the DOC Director, the new stalls will be built where the pulu or banyan tree used to be.
The tree was chopped to the ground a few months ago to make way for the construction of the fish stalls.
Apparently local fishermen are not utilizing the fish market which is equipped with ice making facilities and display tables for their catches.
Fuiavailili said fishermen still prefer to sell their fish by the roadside.
Director of Health Motusa Tuileama Nua told the committee, a law prohibiting the sale of fish on the roadside doesn’t have teeth and his department doesn’t have the power to stop fishermen from selling their fish wherever they wish.
He said DOH is assisting fishermen on how to store and preserve the freshness of their fish while they are selling.
Fishermen are no longer allowed to hang their fish at roadside stalls but must keep them in a cooler.
In addition stores are prohibited from selling fish in coolers outside their premises.
It was noted that some of these cooler fish sales are from Samoa.
