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Archive -Fishing and Agriculture

Providence fishing port to be extended |23 March 2016

 

 

The Providence fishing port will be extended to include fishery facilities like an ice plant and also accommodate small and medium-sized fishing boats.

This follows the signing yesterday of the External Fisheries Facilities on Mahé Island Phase Two accord between Seychelles and Japan.

This phase two project will cost US $12.3 million.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the Seychelles government by Wallace Cosgrow, the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries; Tatsushi Terada, the Japanese ambassador to Seychelles; and Keiko Sano, chief representative of the Japan International Corporation Agency (Jica) which has been the key actor in the materialisation of the project

“This phase two project comes at a very good time where we are at the point of seeing growth in fishery, where we are seeing lots of demands for products. We are looking at value addition, we are looking at improving the lives of the artisanal fishermen,” said Minister Cosgrow after the signing.

He added that the phase two of the project will add more facilities for the artisanal fishermen such as an ice plant and additional space for berthing.

Minister Cosgrow stated that the expansion of the Providence fishing port will allow for better services.

“Due to the rate the artisanal fishery is growing, it is therefore important to have much better facilities. The expansion of the Providence fishing port will provide for a better service for the fishermen and the community,” he said.

He added that artisanal fisheries are vital due to the fact that so many people are involved in this industry that is growing so fast.

He said work on the expansion of the port will begin by the end of the year. Construction will take probably one and half years to complete.

For his part Ambassador Terada noted that both Seychelles and Japan are maritime nations and the prosperity of the fishery sector is indispensable for both countries’ national economies and for the livelihood of both peoples.

Mr Terada also remarked that his government is in full agreement with Seychelles in upholding the banner of the Blue economy.

Highlighting the importance of maintaining an ice plant, Ambassador Terada announced that the government of Japan in collaboration with Jica will embark on a technology transfer where they will train Seychellois engineers to fix and maintain the plants.

Ambassador Terada spoke of the upcoming conferencein African Development (TICAD VI) in Nairobi inAugust.

After the signing, both Seychellois and Japanese delegations proceeded to the Providence fishing port to familiarise themselves with the services on offer there.

 

 

 

 

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