Most in the crowd are only onlookers, mystified by the sight of the glinting and slimy creatures squirming inside the oxygenated tanks. But Sarita Timilsina, 42, is here because she knows what she wants. She studies the fish swimming in the tank. When she zeroes in on her choice, the store aide picks up a net and scoops out the fish. Within seconds, the fresh fish is cut, cleaned, weighed and packed—from the water to the table, just like that.“I have been coming here for the past two months and have never returned disappointed. The fish I buy here are fresh and tender and succulent when cooked. They taste great and my family now wants them every weekend.” she says.

Sarita is among the increasing number of meat consumers in Kathmandu who have developed a liking for live fish. Five years ago, customers like her did not have such a choice. Given the ways the fish market was in Kathmandu then, she would have been compelled to consume formalin-laden frozen fish ‘freshly’ brought in from India.

How things have changed. Combined with the rising demand for white meat, a growing middle class, better investment from the government in the fishery sector and strict inspection of food quality and hygienic standards, domestic live-fish businesses have started carving a niche in the fish market in Kathmandu.

Numerous live-fish stores have already mushroomed all over the Valley to cater to the growing demand. According to the Fishery Association of Nepal, there are currently 52 outlets selling live fish inside the Valley. It is estimated that between 20 to 25 quintals of live fish are brought to Kathmandu daily.

“The majority of the fish we sell here arrives from Bara, and the remaining comes from Chitwan”, says Jung Bahadur Shah, an owner of a fish store at Balkhu Vegetable Market.  Shah has been running the store with his partners for the last three years. He says the live fish he supplies are harvested in the ponds in Bara, transported in water tanks to Kathmandu and sold within one or two days. Rohu, naini, carp, silver, magur and grass carp are among of the most popular varieties he sells.

“Since these fish have a high mortality rate, we have to sell them quickly. This is also why live fish are more expensive compared to frozen fish. If they die on the way, we encounter massive losses” he says. The price of live fish currently varies between Rs 450 to Rs 500 per kg in the retail market and Rs 300 to Rs 350 in the wholesale market, depending on the fish species. Those that die inside the tanks are sold at cheaper prices.

While live fish are comparatively pricier than frozen fish, they are also higher in nutritional value. Studies have shown that frozen fish products over time tend to lose essential nutrients like water-soluble vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acid is known to prevent various health problems like high blood sugar, uric acid, blood pressure. Frozen fish are also more prone to bacterial infection after they have been defrosted and often come contaminated with formalin, a toxic and carcinogenic chemical used to preserve dead bodies.

“Customers who are aware of the nutritional aspect of live fish over frozen fish are willing to pay more for them. However, there are some customers who just make their decisions based on price.” says Ramesh Basnet, one of the owners of Golden Live Fish Enterprises, another live-fish outlet located in New Baneshwor.

“Despite being better in quality than frozen fish, live-fish businesses like ours have not been able to exploit the full potential due to the lack of marketing and public outreach,” he adds. Figures from the Fishery Association of Nepal show that the demand for fish in Nepal has grown to over 40,000 tonnes annually. However, live fish have been able to fulfill only 10 percent of that demand. And 80 percent of the requirement is still being met through fish imported from India.

Basnet says that in order to boost demand for live fish, the government needs to raise awareness about the benefits of consuming fresh and healthy fish, and provide subsidies to live-fish vendors to help them market their products.

Ramananda Mishra, the national program coordinator at the Fishery Development Programme concurs. He says that if the government were to introduce programmes to support fish farmers and help live-fish stores gain traction, domestically raised fish could definitely take up a better share of the business. Until then, the live-fish sellers will have to rely on loyal customers like Sarita Timilsina.