SEYCHELLES – The government of Seychelles has marked out a new fish processing zone for private industry players where industrial fish processing and related projects will be centrally located.

The piece of land to be allocated to private investors covers 70,000 square metres and is located on the manmade island of Ile du Port off the main island of Mahe.

According to special advisor in the Ministry of Fisheries, Roy Clarisse, the move is aimed to boost growth in the sector and enable better access of common facilities and services by the players such as central common cold storage or common sewage treatment facilities.

The main fish to be processed is tuna, but Clarisse believes that there is potential of processing fish harvested from aquaculture, which the government needs to consider, reports Seychelles News Agency.

Around 400,000 tons of tuna are caught by purse seiners annually in the South-West Indian Ocean, of which around 80,000 tons are caught in the Seychelles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The combined fish processing capacity will be dependent on private investors projects and processing methods.

The fish processing zone covers 70,000 square metres

Obviously, with more processing factories Clarisse said that there will be more employment opportunities and the provisions of other ancillary services in support of the factories.

Prior to undertaking any activities, the factories operations which include filleting, removal of loins, steaking, pre-cooking and canning will have to be of be approved by the Competent Authority of the Seychelles Bureau of Standard (SBS).

In November, last year the new Minister for Fisheries Jean Francois Ferrari revealed that more facilities especially those that will support land-based services for fisheries will be made available for the businesses and investors in Seychelles – 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean.

Djibouti and Ethiopia open livestock exclusive terminal

Meanwhile, Djibouti in partnership with Ethiopia have inaugurated a livestock terminal at the Doraleh Multi-Purpose Port, an extension of the Port of Djibouti.

The exclusive facility will have a capacity to handle 2.5 million heads of animal per annum i.e., 1,000 heads of camel, 500 heads of cattle and 4,270 heads of goat or sheep per day.

Constructed at a cost of US$400,000, the terminal will receive all transit livestock and offer services like quarantine, water and resting area until loading into ships.

The resting area for the livestock is set to lessen the challenges the country is facing in ensuring safe and timely delivery as well as direct export without the need to pass another certification in Djibouti.

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