Tumbe Fish Market

Pemba


Down on the beach beyond Tumbe village, the sands are covered in fishing boats and tackle, and lined with a motley collection of huts where fishers gather to pass the day or wait for the tides to turn. There is a newly built market hall, but it's not used, and all the fish is bought and sold on the beach.

As the boats come in (usually in the morning, but that depends on the tides), the captain will come ashore with the catch, and a senior figure will conduct the auction. Once sold, the fish is either gutted and cooked on-site, or taken fresh by wholesalers in vans to the big towns, or by local fishmongers who then sell the fish around the villages, travelling by bike with a basket on the back.