If you are a seafood lover going on a budget vacation to Dominica, you should be looking for ways to save money on your trip. One tip is to cook at least one meal each day. If you are a travelling pescatarian, the stunning nature isle of the Caribbean, has some of the freshest fish and shellfish you can find. There are several places where you can find fresh fish for dinner in Dominica so that you can create a tasty meal in the comfort of your hotel.
When buying seafood, you want to purchase the freshest food possible. Ideally, seafood should be purchased on the day that you want to cook them to guarantee freshness. You can visit local fish markets or try your hand at catching them yourself. Popular catches on the island include fish, lobster, crab and crayfish.
Fresh Fish For Dinner in Dominica
Finding fresh for dinner in Dominica, can be as easy as finding a fish market, licensed street side fish vendor or taking the plunge and catching the fish yourself.
New Market
New Market is located in capital Roseau, along the waterfront exactly where the Caribbean Sea meets the Roseau River. It is a typical Caribbean market that is filled with stalls of large, locally grown produce. There you will find fresh fruit, vegetables, seasonings and spices and meat. The fish market is located on the western side of New Market. The liveliest day is Saturday, which is traditionally a market and shopping day. It is open for business every day of the week except on Sundays.
Pointe Michel
Point Michel is a fishing and farming community located on the south of Dominica. This historically rich village lies on a volcanic debris that was formed from the the eruption of the Morne Plat Pay volcano.
Sport Fishing
Sport fishing in Dominica includes deep sea fishing and fly fishing. Although it is not as popular with locals as it is with tourists, deep sea fishing is very popular because of the topography of the sea bed. There are steep drop offs located relatively close to the shoreline. If you want to try your hand at catching fresh fish for dinner, you should consider booking a charter fishing excursion with an experienced team.
Types of Fish in Dominica
You can find a wide variety of fresh fish for dinner in Dominica. There are saltwater and freshwater fish which can be steamed, fried or grilled and paired with a delicious selection of Dominican vegetables.
Saltwater Fish
Historically, saltwater fish are the preferred fish in the Caribbean because of low levels of pollution in the sea. The most popular fish that are plentiful in the open water are barracuda, tarpon, dorado and blue marlin. Some catches may also include snapper, grouper, sailfish, tuna, wahoo and mackarel.
The barracuda is a slender fish which has a reputation of being very aggressive and dangerous in the sea. Barracuda have extremely large mouths and protruding jaws with large, menacing teeth. Smaller species of barracuda swim in schools, but the larger species are solitary and swim alone.
The tarpon is a large game fish has a distinctive dorsal fin and an upward pointing mouth. It is a favourite game fish of many fishermen because it can put up a huge fight when hooked. The fish is known to jump out of the water and twist and writhe aggressively and frequently to free itself.
Also known as dolphin or mahi-mahi, the dorado is a beautiful fish that is popular in Caribbean waters. The fish is easily recognizable because of its colourful body of scales that are golden, blue and green hues. The dorado has a large head and a defining fin that runs down from the head to the tail.
The blue marlin is a large bill-fish that possesses high swimming speed, power and stamina. It is easy to identify because of its upper jaw which forms a long bill. Another identification mark are its dorsal fins. The first one is high and slopes downward along the back of the fish.
Freshwater Fish
Dominica has several rivers and streams which are teeming with fish and shellfish. If you have experience catching crayfish, you can give it a try. However, if you are a novice, catching crayfish can be dangerous, and it is best to let knowledgeable fishermen catch them. Crayfish hide in between rocks, logs and hard to reach crevices. As a result, fisherman have to use smart tactics to coax them from their hiding places.
