Stakeholders meet to discuss Bel Ombre port’s development plan

15-July-2014
Responding to the demand made by the Bel Ombre Fishermen’s Association all stakeholders came together for a site visit yesterday at the Bel Ombre Fisheries Artisanal Port to discuss and finalise a comprehensive plan for its development.

Natural Resources Minister Peter Sinon; Minister Jean-Paul Adam, in his capacity as the Parti Lepep central committee member for Bel Ombre; principal secretary for land use and habitat Joseph François; member of the National Assembly for Bel Ombre Galen Bresson; Seychelles Port Authority chief executive Andre Ciseau; Peter Smith representing Eden Island and other officials met the chairman of the Bel Ombre Fishermen’s Association Peter Tirant and other members of the association to discuss the difficulties they are facing and the facilities they are going to put in place.

During the discussions the fishermen voiced out that they are finding it difficult to go about their daily business as they find the port too small.

Originally meant for fishing vessels, the port is also being used by leisure and charter vessels.

“The discussions were based on how we are finally going to have a comprehensive plan for the Bel Ombre Fisheries Artisanal Port and we have found out that instead of having only fishing boats, we are also having leisure and personal craft for people living in Bel Ombre docking at this port. So in our plan now we have to incorporate all these stakeholders,” Minister Sinon said.

He added: “The association has asked us to have this area designated as an official port with its rules, its regulations with representative of the Seychelles Ports Authority managing the port. We have agreed to have a committee and by August 15 we would have a comprehensive plan for this area which will be validated and agreed on by all stakeholders for us to start work.”

In partnership with the Eden Island the Bel Ombre Fisherman Association built a shelter where they landed their catch, but concerns were raised during discussion that fishermen do not have proper storage for their equipment and they do not have water facilities and they are currently using water supply from a private house near the area.

“I believe that our voice has fallen into the right ears as it has been only one month since we have requested such a visit and discussion with the stakeholders concerned,” Mr Tirant said.

“Taking into consideration the difficulties that we are going through now, we see that we are more in need of a storage area so that the fishermen can store their belongings, a proper area that we can load and unload our vessels and a sales point,” Mr Tirant added.

He also added that he is very satisfied with the response and that he is waiting on the result.

Our photo on front page shows a partial view of the Bel Ombre port.

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President Michel gets update on Bel Ombre’s fish processing plant

24-September-2015


President James Michel yesterday visited the site where a fish processing plant is to be built on reclaimed land at the Bel Ombre fishing port.
There Mr Michel got update on the progress made on the project which is being undertaken by the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA). The plant will be similar to the one at the Providence Industrial Estate but on a smaller scale and is being financed under the European Union grant.
Accompanying President Michel on the visit was the Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Wallace Cosgrow, the secretary general in the Executive Office of the President Lise Bastienne, and senior officials from the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, from SFA, and from Land Use and Housing.
Minister Cosgrow enlightened the media on President Michel’s follow-up visit yesterday.
“The project has been planned for some time and finally we have managed to complete all the necessary procedures, drawings and now everything is ready for implementation,” Minister Cosgrow said. He pointed out that tenders have already been launched with the tender board.
“We are in the process of selecting the right operators according to the tender process. By the end of October we will be able to really start the project,” said the minister.
He noted that as Bel Ombre and the northern region are principally fishing areas, the project will therefore meet the needs of those people who want to venture into value-added fishery products initiatives to set up their businesses there.
“With both the president and the government placing a lot of emphasis on the development of our blue economy, we see it as a very fitting project for the district as it would add more value to fish and other sea-based products for the people of Bel Ombre,” said the minister.
Minister Cosgrow also availed of the opportunity of President Michel’s visit to also clarify the current situation of the Bel Ombre ice plant as, previously, there were certain issues which he said have now been sorted out.
“I can say that our ice plant is now working almost hundred percent,” said the minister, adding that there will be a new containerised ice plant which will be installed in the future to respond to increasing demands of the district and that of the northern region.
Another project to be carried out at the Bel Ombre fishing port area which President Michel received details on is the extension of the hangars for loading and unloading of fish following requests for more space by the fishermen themselves.
“More boats are mooring there, both fishing and leisure boats, so definitely more space is needed,” said Minister Cosgrow.
He also clarified that the Providence and Bel Ombre processing plants are two separate projects being undertaken by the SFA and financed under grants from the European Union.
Regarding the size of the project as well as its realisation, Yves Choppy, the principal secretary for project planning and implementation in the Ministry of Land Use and Housing, said the Bel Ombre processing plant has four units of 300 square metres footprint. The whole building has an area of 1,200 square metres.
Mr Choppy also mentioned some of the facilities which will form part of the project such as parking space and treatment station for fish waste.

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