Trading goods

[projectfiji]

Howdy,
First post so be gentle. I attempted to use the search function to find my answer, but wasn't successful. To give you a little background, we've been in discussion with a couple of circumnavigators that recommended fishing for the majority of your food.

The one thing that struck us the most is that (according to them) you can trade fish for dry goods and other types of meat while in port. Is this a generally accepted practice? Is there any reference as to where this trade is practiced, and where it is considered bad taste? How does one put a value on his wares for trade? Do you stroll into the local market and proclaim "fish on ice, caught today, need chicken, beef, rice and beer"?

If someone could walk me through their process of trading fish for other edibles, I would appreciate it.

Sincerely,
ProjectFiji

[Pblais]

The one thing that struck us the most is that (according to them) you can trade fish for dry goods and other types of meat while in port.

As long as you don't try to set up a fish stand and advertise bartering is a worldwide practice. You might find that if you are in an area for a while you can seek out the things you want to trade for first then try to determine how easy it is to catch what people want. Bartering is a fine idea if kept to a small scale. Selling fish is not a practice that can generate much money. Locals that do it don't send kids to college.

[Pete the Cat]

In Central American where I spent a couple years (Pacific and Atlantic) I do not think that selling fish is going to land you much. On the Atlantic side there are few fish. On the Pacific side you would be competing with the guys in Pangas who go out all night and sell their catch in the market. I cannot imagine a Gringo in that marketplace. Trade some other work with yachties who have money (canvas work, sail repair, mechanical repair, interpreting, etc). You may be astounded at how folks in other countries live. I was.

[BluesTraveler]

Just got from Belize; Ambergrise Caye. The locals I talked to fished long hours for about 7-10 USD per day depending on their catch, they didn't make much money. Also need to be careful about competing with local (native) fishermen. Not to say it isn't done but just a point to consider.

Steve

[Ex-Calif]

My experience in local waters here is the the barter for fish is in the opposite direction.

You would be trading with fishermen for fish by exchanging rice and dry goods of your own.

In a bartering economy the local villages woudn't want to trade fish - they can get plenty of that themselves - for something they would have to replace by paying cash - dry goods/rice etc.

[MarkJ]

This goes under my rule of not listening to other cruisers...

We were told that trading bullets(!!!) between Panama and the Marquesas was perfectly legal and a couple of rounds of any caliber would have doors opening and huge trade rewards....

We didn't, of course. And I doub't there's a more un-gun country on earth! LOLOL