SEA LOTS fishermen have won a temporary reprieve after Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Ravi Ratiram assured that the Port of Spain Wholesale Fish Market would not close on June 14, despite notices indicating that the facility was to be vacated within days.

The assurance follows growing concern among members of the Sea Lots Fisherfolk Association, who said they were informed by CEO of the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (Namdevco) Nirmalla Debysingh at a meeting on June 2, 2026, that the market would be permanently closed.

The facility, located on Production Avenue, has been a fixture of the fishing industry since 1983, serving as a major distribution hub for fish and shrimp destined for groceries, roadside vendors, restaurants and hotels throughout Trinidad and Tobago. The Association says 69 registered fishermen stand to be directly affected by any closure.