His vacuum-packed sprat, lobster, shrimp, mutton fillet and silver snapper represent the bounty from our seas and are available in quite a few supermarkets with a best-before shelf date. It’s a project of which Misir is immensely proud but wants to take a step further. “What I want to see is a first-world processing plant with the proper provisions for the small fisherman.” There’s little surprise coming from a man who, a year after his return to Jamaica in 2004, found himself supplying 5lb bags of clean, gutted fish to homes and working non-stop to develop and consolidate the local fishing market. “We currently supply some 19 fishing boats with fuel, bait, ice and anything else needed to assist in the delivery of fish,” Misir shares. “There’s a fantastic opportunity in the fishing industry, but we do need additional government support and our fishermen must also take a more scientific and consistent approach to the job. As a nation we consume 50 million pounds of seafood each year, which includes tilapia,” reveals Misir. It’s an impressive amount, but considering our neighbour Cuba supplies and dictates the price of lobster to the world, we can’t help but share Misir’s wish to see a first-world processing plant for the small fisherman.

-NMW