Monkfish, tuna, sardines… What fish to find this season in the market halls of Sète ?

Chez Nicole, la queue de lotte fait fureur auprès des clients. Midi Libre – GUILLAUME CROS

Open every morning, the commercial hub of Sète sees tourists flocking in search of local products. A boon for fishmongers despite a significant increase in prices.

In the market halls of Sète, elbowing is a habit in summer. Sète residents and tourists flock around the displays of cold meats, vegetables and especially fish. Fresh fish, mostly caught off the coast of Sète. Sea bream, anglerfish or sea bass pass mechanically from the ice tank, to the cash register then to the plastic bag of the l' Buyer. At Nicole, the saleswoman of the same name is delighted to have the two-star chef Guy Savoy as a client. "He finds my langoustines divine", she reveals to us.

Which seasonal products are popular ? Let's go back to Nicole's, where the monkfish tail is a hit. Its ease of preparation and its absence of edges appeal to customers. In summer, products to cook on the plancha are also coveted: sea bream, sardines and mackerel. At the Chez Cyril fishmonger, it's more squid, skate wings and anglerfish which bring in big bucks. For a kilo, the latter costs 28 euros.

A notable increase in prices

Les halles have 18 businesses linked directly or indirectly to the sea. Among them, there is the fishmonger Chez Jean-Phi which prides itself on selling only "wild fish". And he proudly claims it. On its front, it is written on a sign: "our fishmonger does not sell any farmed products". At the same time, he insists on the frantic increase in the price of products. 600 g sea bream costs 10 euros more compared to summer 2023, or 37.90 euros.

The rise in prices is the major concern of fishmongers. At a shopkeeper, "we have fewer sardines, anchovies and tuna". At a shopkeeper, "we no longer find cuttlefish". At Nicole, the manager explains this scarcity of products by the drop in the number of trawlers in Sète. "There are only seven left in the port", she regrets. In addition, the arrival of vacationers on the unique island increases demand, forcing fishmongers to raise their prices.

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