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Contact:
John Emmanuel
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - Fishers in Choiseul and environs are in line to
benefit from improvements to the fish landing facility in the area. On
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 representatives of the Department of Fisheries joined
other dignitaries for the official handing over ceremony of the facility from
the Government of Japan to the Government of St. Lucia.
Chief Fisheries Officer Vaughn Charles says the project has transformed the
Choiseul waterfront with the reclamation of just under 40 thousand square feet
of land. The multi-million dollar facility comprises a new administrative
building, an ice making plant with a capacity of over 1 ton per-day and storage
capacity of 2.2 tons, an engine repair room, washrooms and locker rooms
facilities, fuel station, postal facilities, a fish market, along with 20 boats
as part of the transition from canoes to fibre-glass pirogues. These vessels,
equipped with 85 Hp engines, are part of efforts to improve gear and fishing
methods, which is hoped will derive in enhanced catches.
“We are hoping that the facility with the provision of ice would ensure that the
quality of fish that is landed and subsequently offered for sale will be of a
higher quality meeting internationally recognized standards, said Charles. He
further explained, “that hotels on the island are now requesting that products
they purchase meet either European Community (EU) standards or those that
embrace Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirements. Therefore
the provision of ice would ensure that the quality of fish that is produced from
the Choiseul area meets those standards which in turn would translate into top
dollars for fishers given the fact that the St. Lucia Marketing Board grades
fish based on quality.”
The project cost approximately US$8.2 million and was financed by the Japanese
Government. It also includes coastal sea defences (125 meters of breakwater and
a 23 meter revetment), 116m of wharf space for docking of fibreglass and other
larger vessels and an enclosed slipway and boat yard.
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