Sam of the Seas - UWI economics student dives into fishing venture

Juggling a start-up while attending university is no small feat. This, however, seems to come as second nature for one particularly diligent entrepreneur who has turned to fishing to earn her honest bread seemingly from out of nowhere.

Sammi-Joe 'Sam' Scott, 24, is not your average tertiary student. Don't let her petite frame fool you; she is nothing short of skillful when it comes to navigating the seas.

Scott, who hails from Mountain View in St Andrew, commutes several times a week to the sleepy fishing village of Port Royal to ply her trade, one by which she has been absolutely fascinated since her first fishing expedition back in 2011.

Soon after, her business, 'Sas-Sea Seafood' was born.

"Funnily enough, a friend of mine invited me out to go fishing," Scott shared.

"We went on his boat, and at that point, I did not catch anything, not even one fish! I was just ecstatic about it, even though I didn't catch anything,"

Certainly, starting a business of any kind can be tough on anyone, but that has not deterred Scott, who is currently perusing a bachelor's degree in economics at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.

The enterprising woman recently made a significant capital expenditure in the hope of securing a fruitful and profitable future. This, she says, is absolutely necessary for expansion. A beaming Scott told THE WEEKEND STAR that she recently purchased her very own boat.

Certainly, she has more immediate needs which are apparent operational costs.

"My clientele isn't bad right now, but of course, there is room for improvement," she said.

"Right now I'm looking into packaging, but at present, I need to get a deep freezer. My biggest expense right now is ice, which is really hard to get now in Port Royal," she said.

Those who reside in the south eastern historic town of Port Royal, as well as those with whom Sam frequently interacts, seem to welcome her with open arms.

"She has a business plan and a focused mind, so we can endorse it," said 37-year-old Garth Allen, a community regular.

"She is trying to come with a new plan and she works with the people here. Whatever you do, and the result is good, it will in turn help those in need and help to motivate the people inside the community."

As Sam looks to the future, she hopes to showcase the best views of the city by offering tours by sea using her newly acquired boat. Certainly too, she wants to increase her sales.