Andaman Sea Foods

Down in Shivaji Nagar, Andaman Sea Foods is where we spend our days. The shop is always a bit damp because of all the ice we use to keep the fish cold. We get the seafood early in the morning, and the first thing we do is spread it out on the crates. It’s a lot of work cleaning the scales and gutting the fish when customers ask for it. The smell is something you just get used to after working here for a few weeks. Shivaji Nagar is always crowded and noisy, so there is never a dull moment outside our door. We have people coming in looking for prawns, fish, or whatever else came in fresh that day. We wear rubber boots because the floor stays wet from the melting ice and the washing. It’s not a quiet job, we are always talking to people and shouting out prices. Sometimes the fish is smaller than usual and people complain, but we just sell what we get from the suppliers. We use a lot of ice blocks that we have to break up with a hammer. It is hard on the hands because of the cold and the sharp bones. We stay open until everything is sold or it gets too late. It is a basic, messy, and very busy place to work every day. We just try to keep the fish cold and the customers satisfied before they walk away.