September 21, 2020 — Ken Concepcion and Mariano Torres busily packed their equipment into a loaded pickup truck late Friday morning, preparing to leave the Hagåtña boat basin after having spent the early morning fishing. Concepcion had just made a $27 sale at the Guam Fishermen’s Co-op. It was his second sale for the week. On Wednesday, the last time he’d gone fishing, Concepcion managed to make about $60.
“That’s $30 for gas … then you got the bait, the ice and drinks. It comes down to just break even or at a minus,” Concepcion said.
Fishing has essentially become Concepcion’s main source of income since he was furloughed from his job at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort. It has proven difficult, however, as pandemic restrictions have made selling his catches more challenging.
Smaller markets are no longer as easy to sell to, since a lot of them have shut down, either due to safety concerns or financial issues, Concepcion said. There’s also competition from other fishermen to consider. Concepcion said he counts himself lucky that the co-op is still buying.