Food Markets, Fishermen, and Taxes
Fishing scene in West Africa
Today we share this story on West African fishermen in celebration of National Seafood Month.
I came across this interesting source on food and taxes in the West African Gold Kingdom of Guinea in the 1600s. Fishermen gave the King’s tax collectors a fixed tax for their catch in the form of fresh caught fish. As the Dutch explorer Pieter de Marees, explains, “When they have done their Fishing and come ashore, they must give the King’s Toll to the Guards” taxes to tax collectors. “There is a fixed amount to be paid for whatever he may consider appropriate for their Catch, and this Fish is at once sent to the King of that quarter for his needs.” Tax officials reported to the King every quarter to give an account of the amount of fish they collected. After paying their taxes, fishermen and their wives went to the coastal fish market "where everybody comes to buy and trade" for their food necessities.
