Tijuana’s Fish Markets Don’t Smell So Swell

The recent heat wave in the region has brought an olfactory offense to Tijuana’s largest wholesale fish market, located on Calle Sexta (6th Street), about seven blocks east of Avenida Revolución. The odor permeates the surrounding neighborhood, much to the chagrin of residents and businesses (other than the fishmongers).

The open-air markets are the delivery point of “fresh-caught” fish, trucked in from points all over the Baja coast. The fish are brought in on ice and displayed on ice in the markets, where they are purchased by residents and restaurants. All manner of seafood is presented, including shellfish. Many of the fish are cleaned at the markets, the entrails left for garbage pickup in disposal bins placed throughout the district.

 A story in Frontera referred to the foul smells as the result of “descomposición de residuos orgánicos” (the decomposition of organic residues), and a visit to the area last week gave proof to the notion that “something is rotten in TJ.” This, despite the fact that garbage trucks come by at least three times a day for pick-up. Some complainers believe that it is the movement of the garbage trucks through the neighborhood that spreads the stench.