The Marssa, a public fish market, is located in the northeast of the coast of Tripoli, around 5 km far from the city center. You can arrive to it by car or by other means of transportation. It is one of the three oldest known fish markets in the city.
In the past, it was called "Al Hofra", which means the hole; because its ground is somehow lower than the surrounding area. Another reason for this name is that it is said that some fishermen worked quarries in the upper area next to the beach to temporarily live in them during the fishing season. There is a small cliff inside the sea that helped them protect their boats against storms.
Over time, these quarries were replaced by small houses made of tree trunks and branches. Then, there were small fish shops in the area. Today, the visitor to the market will find many of the fish kinds that live in the Mediterranean Sea. The periodic tests carried out by the Marine Biology Research Center (MBRC) in Tajoura showed that the quality of the fish in this area is considered one of the best in the world due to the length of the Libyan coast, about 2000 km, and its cleanness from polluters.
It was found that the percentage of heavy metals; Mercury and Lead, in the fish caught from the Libyan coast is lower than the one in the fish caught from the coasts of neighbouring countries. Most of the fishermen in Tripoli and its suburbs sell their fish in the three fish markets in the city. The Marssa is one of these markets. In the early morning, the fish is sold by a public auction at which fishermen perform special rituals as they pray for high profit for the one who will buy the fish.
Sailors, fish mongers and restaurant owners are the ones who participate in the auction. Customers are allowed to participate in this auction only if they will buy the whole quantity of fish. After the auction, shop owners preserve fish in refrigerators. They put some of the fish on wooden or aluminium tables and cover them with enough ice. When a customer enters one of these shops, he will find many kinds of fish and mollusc such as Common Pandora, Swordfish, Shark, Greater Amberjack, Octopus and many other kinds.
The Libyan cuisine is known for many seafood recipes. There is a recipe for each kind of fish. For example, the recipes of "whales kuskusy", "Al Haraimi", and "Al Khalta" are made of fish eggs and mollusc. There are many other recipes such as "sea food salad".
In the market, the fish prices are fair and within the limits of everyone. As a result, seafood restaurants witness a great demand for fish. In the Marssa in Tripoli, one kilogram of Chub Mackerel is worth about Euro 1,5 while in the fish markets in Europe it is worth about Euro 25.
In the Marssa, in addition to the small fish shops there are some seafood restaurants. These restaurants are named for sea related names such as "Barracuda", "Crayfish", "the Ship" and "the Captain".
The customer of Marssa is welcomed by the mongers. Recently, customers have followed a new way of buying fish as, for a moderate price, a customer, first, buys the fish he wants, gets it cleaned, washed and cut, then, he takes it to any of the available restaurants where it is cooked according to his favorite way and, finally, it is served with salads and appetizers.
In summer, the period from May to September, the market is visited by a lot of tourists from all countries.Being a vital source of proteins & vitamins, cholesterol free and useful for the patients of heart diseases, there is an international demand for fish products that may raise their prices. However, in Tripoli, the customers of fish markets, especially the Marssa, should not fear such increase due to the regulating laws and restrictions the government impose on the exportations of fish products.
These laws, aiming at keeping the stability in the local market, permit only the exportation of medium quantities of fish products at certain times of the year after obtaining a formal exportation license. The other two old fish markets are "Bab Al Bahr Market" which is located in front of the old town and near the harbour, and "the Old Fish Market" in Al Rashid Street. In comparison with those two markets, the Marssa is a tourist market as it is always full of tourist groups.
According to the mongers and fishermen, the Libyan coast is full of sea treasures. In comparison to other neighbouring countries, the amount of fish caught from the Libyan coast is very low.
The fishermen in the Marssa and the other fish markets look forward to the government to support and develop the fishing industry, and enlarge the fish markets, thus contributing to the development of the economy.
When the customer is leaving the market, after enjoying a delicious meal, he will find tea shops which hang leaves of mints and roses used in giving aroma to tea.At the end of the tour, the fishermen say that anyone who visit and eat at the Marssa for only one time will, for sure, return again.