Mother of three, Mereseini Dilule from Ruraki village, Dogotuki in Macuata, sells fish at the Labasa market to provide for her family’s needs.

She also uses part of her earnings to buy her children’s school stationery.

Selling fish, she said, was not new to her as her family had survived on her parents’ fish selling business.

“When I was a child, my parents have been selling fish. Now that I am married to Peter Dickson, who does net fishing and brings in his catch for me to sell, I’m continuing our fishing business,” she said.

This, she said, was their main source of income.

She recalled that with the income her parents received from selling fish, her two younger siblings were educated and her younger sister enrolled at the Sangam School of Nursing in Labasa.

Ms Dilule said fish was a delicacy that was enjoyed by everyone, especially on Sunday lunch with the family.

She said her daily takings depended on the weather, but on good days she could earn as much as $1,000 for two days.

“I sometimes buy fish from a middleman for $20 and then sell it at a higher price of $25 to accommodate other expenses,” she said.

Ms Dilule said during unfavourable weather, her fish catch dropped so she baked pastries, cooked and sold lunch parcels for fish sellers.

Mereseini Dilule at her fish stall at the Labasa market on Saturday. Photo: Laisa Lui

She said her husband had noticed a drop in the number of fish they now caught, which he said might be because of climate change.

Ms Dilule has encouraged those living in the village that in order to have a better life, “they must sacrifice, persevere and show commitment in order to achieve their goals”.

Edited by Ivamere Nataro

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