TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Fresh Fish to Purchase

I have searched this board and can't find the post about buying fresh fish. Does anyone have any suggestions or know where we can buy some? The tentative route will be sailing out of STT on 12/2 headed to STJ for one night stop over and then on to Peter or Cooper, on to Leverick or Saba or Bitter End, on to Anegada, on to Diamond Cay or Great Harbor etc.

On our last trip in May. We found a guy selling fresh fish in Cruz Bay, on the sidewalk just outside customs. We bought a tuna and trigger fish,,,, they were great. Hope to see him again in two weeks.

Yes, I've seen that guy there too.

The BVI fishing complex in Baughers Bay Road Town provides local fisherman a way to sell freshly caught fish. I wanted to go last time I was there but it's closed Sunday which was our departure day. Would love to hear if others have purchased here and what their experience was.

Any other suggestions?

Mid afternoon in Carrot Bay at the ramp opposite "Sappy's" fisherman sell their fresh catches..

Sailor's Ketch in East End (Parhamtown) at Penn's Landing. They will have everything you want!

I often go to the Fishermen's Complex just east of Road Town. They have fresh and frozen, locally-caught seafood. What's on offer depends on the catch, so it's better not to pre-plan your menu.

One of my favorites is conch. One of the guys there told me how to prepare it in a pressure cooker, which makes it incredibly tender.

I used to patronize Sailor's Ketch, which has great seafood, but I thought they were doing wholesale only now. Does he make exceptions?

I THINK they still sell retail, and also deliver to charterboats, but I haven't been there in a while.

y understanding is that Sailors Ketch is all frozen and imported seafood now. The Fisheries Complex is actually a very well run and usually well stocked operation and a great source of local seafood. In many communities the local fishermen come in during the middle of the day, when most visitors are out sailing, and the catch is sold pretty quickly. The places where you will see local fishermen the most often are Great Harbour JVD, Cane Garden, Carrot Bay, Seacows bay , Thomas Bay VG, Gun Creek, Trellis Bay, and of course Anegada.

Sailors Ketch has always supplied hotels, stores and charter boats, so much of their fish has always been frozen. Restaurant menus have salmon, king crab, shrimp, etc. that are not found in the BVI. He also said the amount of fish consumed in the BVI far exceeded the local catch.

I always loved his smoked fish spread, but everything he sold was good. The last I looked, there was a "wholesale only" sign in the window, and I figured the retail customers weren't worth the trouble. Of course Riteway and others sell the same fish.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.