“My profession is a family tradition”

This article is part of an interview series about people working in the informal sector in different countries, including a motorcycle taxi driver in Uganda, a domestic worker in India, a refugee teacher in South Sudan, a street vendor in Kenya and a head porter in Ghana.

Who are you?

My name is Loreto Castillo Crespo, I am 61 years old and I have been a fish butcher since I was 14 years old. However, a month ago I had to stop working due to health problems.

Where do you live?

I live in Rincon de La Playa, San José del Cabo, Mexico. My profession is a family tradition. My parents and grandparents were also fish butchers. This tradition continues, although my daughter is not doing it, but my brothers’ sons are.

What does your average day look like?

For years I worked in the filleting area of the La Playa community, where I received the fish, filleted it and packed or bagged it for the customer. Fish filleters depend on tips, which can vary greatly: On some days we earn 100 pesos (about $ 5), on others 500 or even 1000 pesos. During the high season from September to March, there is more work and better opportunities to earn money, but in the low season from May to August, when almost no fishing trips take place, we only demand fish as payment, which we can take home to at least feed our families.

What do you like about your situation?

What I love about my work is the camaraderie, being on the beach, being with the other guys all day, we have breakfast and lunch together, we spend time together and have a drink.

How can your situation be improved?

Fish butchers, unlike fishermen, are not members of a cooperative and have no formal benefits such as social insurance or access to medical care. I believe that everyone in my profession should be part of a cooperative. As part of a cooperative, we could register with the tax office and be entitled to state benefits, which are available to fishermen. 

I had to stop working due to a visual impairment, and I currently need a retinal operation that costs more than I earn in a year.

Pamela Cruz is the Director at La Playa Centro Comunitario, a community centre in Baja Sur, and Strategic Advisor at MY World Mexico.
pamela.cruzm@gmail.com