Manta Fish Market

We arrived at 7 am Monday morning.  This was our driver Diego.

 Manta is a port on the coast of Ecuador.  It is the self proclaimed tuna capital of the world and also has the largest fleet of fishing vessels in South America.  We took a trip there on Monday, October 12 th with Bob and Shannon Christiansen.  Bob is an eye doctor helping us with our eye project in Portoviejo at Fundacion Loor. 

The mornings catch, swordfish.

Swordfish for sale

Odds and ends used to produce food for chickens

Now those are some BIG fish!

Weighing the fish.  Depending on the kind of fish they run about $3-$4 a lb.

Some more BIG fish

It's illegal to catch sharks but once in a while they get caught in the nets.

Birds flying overhead looking for breakfast.

A swordfish

Mom and Dad standing next to the swordfish.  They are pretty big.  We can now say we got to go to the beach this time.  The last time we were in Manta we saw the ocean from a distance!

Interesting fins

A drink vendor on the beach

A building on the beach.

These small boats bring the fish in every morning  from the large fishing boats that are way out in the ocean

A vendor selling tuna.  It's cheaper on the beach.  Here in the fish market the price doubles.

Baby swordfish

Shrimp and fish for sale

Don't know the name of these but they were really flat looking.

Our eye doctor, Bob Christiansen, his wife Shannon, our driver, Diego and Dad looking at the flat fish.

Diego holding a little shark with Bob Christiansen and Dad

Cutting a huge fish with a machete!

Big chunks of fish for sale.

The fish market and some boats in dry dock in the background

A big pelican waiting for some tidbits.

Boats in dry dock to be repaired

Repairing the boat.

Building Nephi's boat to cross the ocean!

Anyone for some jumbo shrimp??