REAL EXPERTS IN REAL ESTATE
PESCADERÍA PLAYA BLANCA
Fresh fish from the old harbour
Since a few years, eventually it has become possible to buy fresh fish, which you can purchase straight from the fishermen in the old harbour, and because of this Playa Blanca has gained a real ´villagey´ feel with the smell and taste of daily catches straight from the sea.
It took the association of fishermen of Playa Blanca eight years to get all the bureaucratic formalities done, but now director Rafael Camejo does everything to supply his customers with the freshest fish from the island, as well as with other fish specialities from other European regions. “Here in our shop we have everything that the fishermen catch during the day, including all the classics of the island such as vieja, cherne, bocinegro, morena and mero. In order to fulfill the demands of our customers, we also have fresh shellfish or nordic species such as salmon or trout.”
The President of the Association of Fishermen, Domingo Luis Umpiérrez, is very proud about the success that the Pescadería has had from day one. It is nearly always busy in the shop and the friendly assistants, Mari Sol and Arminda, help and advise their customers, creating a very nice family atmosphere.
“Direct sale is a big advantage for the local fisherman” explains Dmingo. “Adjacent there is a ´Punto de primera venta´, where the catch of the day is weighed and measured, at the same time guaranteeing that all the necessary health requirements are fulfilled. That means a control of quality with advantages for everybody. From here the fish goes directly into our shop or to different restaurants in the municipality.”
The most experienced fisherman of Playa Blanca, Blas Francisco Martín González, is happy about the fact that the new shop also provides a, nearly lost, camaraderie between the fishermen. “Nowadays there are only a few families left here that make their living exclusively from fishing, very different from the old days. I am 75 years old and only have a small boat to go out fishing in, but I go whenever I like and can find the time”, says Blas. “Unfortunately there are more and more sports boats and their owners are ´hobby´fishermen. They make if difficult to get a decent catch. It is not easy to make a living from fishing now, however here in the shop the fishermen meet again, talk about their day and compare their catch – that reminds me of old times.”
For residents and visitors alike with a facility to do their own cooking, the Pescaderia gives a perfect opportunity to buy well priced fresh fish – a taste of Lanzarote. Rafael thinks that you only know the island if you have at least once tried a vieja. People, who don´t know much about fish, can ask questions in the shop and they will be helped. When, at the end of the day, a good plate of fresh fish from Playa Blanca is on the table, it becomes quite clear, that the days, when it was a little fishing village, are not so far away.