Fish industry in Sri Lanka - Part III

Bojoon.com teams up with Browns Beach Hotel, Negombo to explore the future of our fish industry.

Negombo sandwiched between the lagoon and the sea with its reef barrier brings forth a variety of fish to the market, states Chef Jagath, which is roughly categorised as produce from the sea, lagoon or freshwater fish and reef fish (gal malu). This is what makes Negombo famous for its fish. Negombo is certainly not some fishing village, but a place to experience some fabulous fish.

Once Negombo was known as ‘Little Rome’ because of its multitude of beautiful Portuguese-era Roman Catholic churches, but now it is referred to as “Little Rome” because almost every family has at least one member working in Italy. Therefore the Negombo community is flushed with money and has become a community who lives well and eats well.

On top of this the thriving tourism industry in the area makes capital use of these fish and events like the ‘fish market’ that are organised every Monday and Friday evenings at the Browns Beach are very popular - especially among the local crowds.

The concept of the Browns Beach ‘fish market’ is only to serve the freshest fish that was hauled on that very day. Due to the sheer variety, guests can enjoy any type of dish, prepared any way they prefer.

These fish have never seen the inside of a freezer and both the demand and the supply are so great that the hotel is seriously considering organising their ‘fish market’ on more nights.

Apart from the sheer variety procured from Negombo, due to various other factors such as the unrest in the North and the East, and its close proximity to the main fish market, St. John’s Market - more popularly known as the Pettah Market, Negombo has also become one of the key points in the Sri Lankan fish industry, he continues. Thus, Negombo has evolved to be one of the main congregating places for all involved in the fish industry, comments Chef Jagath.

He continues that this is evidenced by the two main llelamas in Negombo. In fact Negombo has the largest llelama in Sri Lanka. A llelama is a fish auction where all the fishermen bring their catch and this is auctioned off to the various marketers that includes not only the export markets, but also the many segments of the local markets. Even the humblest fishmonger weaves their way through the auctions looking for cheap deals and bargains.

The larger llelama, which is appropriately known as the ‘maha llelama’ deals with the deep sea haul. This is managed by the Negombo South Fishermen’s Cooperative Society Limited. The smaller llelama referred to as the ‘kuda llelama’, which is facing the maha llelama is managed by the church and this deals mostly with the lagoon catch. A huge component of the fish markets of Sri Lanka are being thus supplied between these two llelamas.

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