Dubai/Abu Dhabi: Fish prices have increased by a few dirhams across the UAE during the last week as suppliers are charging more because their catch is less, according to fishmongers.
The price hike is also due to the annual increase which takes place in the first quarter of each year said one fishmonger from a Spinneys' store.
"The price has gone up just Dh1 or Dh 2. It's gone up with the suppliers because we get our fish from the fish market and they are catching less fish. During the first quarter of every year prices tend to go up, but this is for meat, fish and other items as well," he added.
Salmon fillets cost Dh68 per kilo yesterday, an apparent increase from Dh66 per kilo a week ago, said the fishmonger. He said a whole hammour cost Dh39 per kilo and a hammour fillet cost Dh66 per kilo.
In the Union Cooperative in Al Awir, salmon fillets were also Dh68 per kilo and a whole salmon cost Dh48 per kilo while a whole hammour costs Dh34 per kilo. Fish prices at the Abu Dhabi Fish Market have increased due to the change in weather, according to retailers.
"The change in weather and the strong winds that came along has affected the amount of fish caught today," said Kumar T., one of the retailers at the market.
He confirmed there had been an increase because the amount of fish caught has dropped. Hamed Al Rahoomi, a long-time fishermen said fish prices are fluctuating due to the bad weather.
"The price of the fish has gone up but at the end of the day the fishermen are not making any more money, the brokers are."
He said prices demanded by brokers were not controlled. Due to the recent bad weather less fishermen are going out to sea resulting in an overall decline in the amount of fish available.
"Sometimes there is a shortage of fish. The weather is not so good so the price goes up. You know it is windy and very cold so less people want to go out to sea. It is harder than a normal day," said Al Rahoomi.
Emirati fishermen in Ras Al Khaimah said only a minority of them had gone to sea in the past few days.
Saleh Hanbalou, a senior national fisherman, said traders in the fish markets had been selling what they already had stored in their refrigerators. Other national fishermen said there should not have been a hike in the fish prices in the emirate because an official price list had been set.
- With inputs from Nasouh Nazzal, Staff Reporter
