Local firm launches first long liner |02 October 2014

Local firm Oceana Fisheries has launched its first long liner as it hopes to acquire 14 others.

The boat, baptised Ocean 1, is 32 metres long with a cold storage capacity of 20 tonness. It will be used to fish tuna which will be stored at -60 degrees Celcius, hence keeping the tuna at premium grade.

Built in Weihaye shipyard in China at a cost of US $2.5 million, the white coloured Ocean 1 can accommodate 22 crew membes on a fishing trip.
It took the boat 25 days to journey from China to Seychelles, arriving in Port Victoria in the morning of Saturday September 20 captained by Seychellois Patrick Houareau along with other Seychellois crew.

The Ocean 1 made its maiden fishing voyage yesterday morning with 12 Seychellois and 8 Indonesian fishermen.
The fishing trip will last for six weeks.

It is model Shana Payet from Coral Models who is the godmother of Ocean 1 as she had the honour of baptising the vessel with the traditional breaking of a champagne bottle against its hull.

Ocean 1 is fitted with the latest fishing technology and is said by the crew to be very comfortable.

Attending the launch ceremony at the fishing port on Tuesday evening were the Minister for Natural Resources Peter Sinon, representatives from the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), the banks, shipping agents, management and staff of Oceana Fisheries, among other guests.
The L’Echo band entertained the guests during the ceremony.   
   
According to the chief executive of Oceana Fisheries Co. Pty Ltd, Cyril Bonnelame, the company had signed an agreement for the construction of 15 boats ranging from 20 metres to 37 metres and with cold storage capacities ranging from 20 tonnes to 100 tonnes at -60 degrees Celcius.

He said that another boat is actually in the water at the Weihaye shipyard and it will be arriving in Seychelles in the middle of November and by the quarter of 2015, four other boats will have joined Ocean 1 for industrial fishing for Oceana Fisheries.

The rest of the fishing vessels will join the fleet in the future.
Mr Bonnelame also assured the local artisanal and semi-industrial fishermen that the company will not be in competition with them on fishing grounds as their boats will be fishing far out at sea outside the continental plateau of Seychelles’ exclusive economic zone at a depth of 3000 metres and they will be also fishing in international waters as they have international fishing licenses.

He also assured the local fishing community that Oceana Fisheries will continue to buy fish from them even though it is acquiring its own fishing fleet.

In his speech to mark the occasion the Minister for Natural Resources Peter Sinon congratulated the Oceana Fisheries directors and staff on the achievement and wished them all the very best as they venture in industrial fishing which has been almost 100% left to foreign investors with the overwhelming actors being the purse seiners.

“The time has come for us Seychellois to wake up from our serene island way of life to concretely take decisive action to be the best that we can to compete and take the responsibilities that it requires to make our own Blue Economy industrial long line fishing our own,” he said.
“At a time when President James Michel is promoting and echoing the ‘Blue Economy’ concept to the world at all gatherings he has had the opportunity to attend, Oceana has heeded the call to invest and diversify,” the minister added.

With the investment made by Oceana Fisheries in the fishing industry, Minister Sinon urged potential Seychellois especially the youth who aspire to earn a living from our Blue Economy to take up the challenge and opportunity by following the lead of the 20 crew members on board the Ocean 1 as there will be 15 vessels in all.

“Manpower will be needed to work on the 15 boats. If you are ready and disciplined, be part of this enterprise that will show the world that Port Victoria is not only the major port of the Indian Ocean but that the bravest and most knowledgeable fishers of the Indian Ocean are Seychellois fishers that has just upgraded the profile of being a fisherman in the industrial fisheries subsector of the Republic of Seychelles,” he urged.

He also urged students from the Maritime Training Centre (MTC) to come and visit the boat and see the comfort and safe environment it provides.
On behalf of Alexander Karmanov, chairman of Oceana Fisheries, Mr Bonnelame said that the company’s priority is to have a full contingent of Seychellois and that they hope that deck officers, able seaman/fishermen as well as young graduates from MTC will take up the challenge.

“Our objective is to develop the fishing industry in a sustainable manner to the benefit of all stakeholders i.e the government, the fishermen, our valued customers and our employees and the launch of Oceana 1 is the beginning of a journey which we feel will be mutually beneficial,” he said.

Mr Bonnelame explained that the other initial phase of their investment plans which they had shared with government through SFA includes the renovation and extension of the current Oceana Fisheries complex which is over 35 years old, the construction of a new multi storey complex which will have a modern laboratory, restaurant and offices.

Oceana Fisheries produces and exports both fish/seafood and value added products such as fish burger, smoked fish, fish sausages and fish ball.