FRESH AND FIRST... Time is of the essence - Fishermen unload the catch while a food inspector checks its freshness and health before the fish is auctioned off at the Souq Al Jubail Fish Market in Sharjah
Kept fresh in chunks of ice - from the dhow and boats to the modern and clean interiors of the new market - the fish are sold off in an exciting public auction that takes place daily at 6am and 4pm.
Published: Sat 1 Oct 2016, 1:00 PM
Updated: Sat 1 Oct 2016, 9:18 PM
- By
- Text by Afkar Abdullah Photos by M.Sajjad
Going, going, gone! Caught from the deep sea waters of the Arabian Gulf, tonnes and tonnes of fresh fish is delivered and auctioned daily at the Al Jubail Fish Market, part of the Al Jubail Vegetable and Fruit Market in Sharjah.
Kept fresh in chunks of ice - from the dhow and boats to the modern and clean interiors of the new market - the fish are sold off in an exciting public auction that takes place daily at 6am and 4pm. The auction attracts a huge crowd because of the unique atmosphere and cheap bargains. Besides, the market is the only place where an indoor wholesale fish auction takes place, in the entire UAE and GCC! The fish is directly unloaded by the fishermen who line up to deliver their goods, looking for good deals. The souq management oversees the auction. During the auction, the auctioneers announce a price which then goes up until it settles to a price considered suitable for the buyers who are mostly fish traders and owners of seafood restaurants.
Supplied with 10 tonnes of fish daily, the fish cleaning section is fully equipped with modern tools and gear for cleaning and cutting fish to ensure the highest stands of public safety. It also includes an outdoor area to ease the safe transportation of the fish.
The stars of the auction, however, are the fresh fish lined up for sale.
The fish section opens daily from 6am to 10:30pm except on Fridays, when it opens from 6am to 11:30am and then from 2pm to 10:30pm. The market's general working hours are from 6am to 11:30pm every day. Shoppers are strongly encouraged to come by and experience this remarkable attraction for themselves.
The market is located within the heart of Sharjah city close to the Central Market in Al Layyah area. The market officially opened in December 2015 and was constructed at a total cost of Dh195 million. Since then, it is the by far the best and cheapest place in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates to buy fresh seafood.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
WEALTH OF THE WATERS... Fishermen line up with their precious wares, waiting for their turn to enter the auction hall. The faster they get in, the better their chances of profits for the day.
WEALTH OF THE WATERS... Fishermen line up with their precious wares, waiting for their turn to enter the auction hall. The faster they get in, the better their chances of profits for the day.
FROM SEA TO SEAFOOD... Customers can have their pick of the daily catch, gauging the fish for freshness and quality.
FRESH DEALS... Buyers at the daily auctions are mainly fish traders and seafood restaurant owners.
NET AMOUNT... The fish market staff calculate the quantity and total auctioned amount at the end of each auction.
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