Yemeni Fish Company
Region: Middle East
Country: Yemen
Date: 2002-2006
MEP are providing fisheries related support to a private company and assisting in the establishment of a fishing and processing company based in Mukalla, Yemen. This support includes Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), fish marketing, tuna longlining knowledge, business planning, fishery management, fisheries legislation, stock assessment, HACCP plan, recruitment of all management staff, and design of processing procedures. The company supplies high grade air flown fish to European and US markets.
Summary of Yemeni Fish company
Yemeni Fish specialise in the supply of high quality fresh airflown fish.
Regional investors initiated the Yemeni Fish venture to bring employment and income to South Yemen by exploiting the abundant fisheries resources and exporting airflown fish of a quality not achieved before in Yemen. Established international fisheries consultancy, MacAlister Elliott and Partners, provide the fisheries expertise and technical support for Yemeni Fish.
Yemeni Fish are investing in systems to ensure that all stages of the production process from catch to customer are controlled. This will enable Yemeni Fish to guarantee full traceability from a packaged product back to the vessel and location the fish was caught. We are presently building a fleet of specially designed longline fishing vessels, constructing a state-of-the-art landing, processing and storage facility as well as organising a sophisticated logistics network.
The fishing vessel 'Lena 1' commenced trial fishing operations out of Mukalla, Yemen at the beginning of April 2003. Lena 1 is an 18 metre multi-purpose fishing vessel equipped with the latest longlining technology enabling it to efficiently and effectively carry out its tasks without degradation to the marine environment. It has a specially designed refrigerated fish room built to EU standards, ice slush tanks, protection on decks to avoid bruising as well as sophisticated navigation and fish finding equipment.
Only fishing techniques such as longline and drop line hook fishing which do not damage the natural environment are employed. The main target species include:
yellowfin tuna, emperor, king fish, shark, grouper, parrot fish, red snapper, and job fish.
Lena 1 will be joined by 5 newly built vessels during 2003 and by 2005 the Yemeni Fish fleet will total 20 vessels. The local crews will be trained by experienced master fishermen in the best catching and 'first handling' methods. High standards are required to produce the highest quality fish in colour and texture and Yemeni Fish achieve these standards consistently.
The experienced Yemeni Fish fishermen onboard Lena 1 use tried and tested post-harvest techniques to maximise the quality of the fish. Careful handling immediately after capture is crucial in determining the quality and shelf life. That is why once caught the fish are stored directly in slurry ice to bring down the temperature and wherever possible all fish are landed on the day they are caught.
The motto of our master fishermen is "all fish from the vessel are placed and not thrown or tossed". That is to say that they are handled with great care to avoid bruising.
Yemeni Fish are in the process of constructing a purpose built facility near Rian airport in Mukalla, Yemen. Based at this site will be the landing, storage, processing, packaging and training facilities. Expected completion of the Yemeni Fish facility is mid 2004. Staff will receive training from skilled professionals on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles, vessel maintenance and fishing methods.
The Yemeni Fish facility covers 2 square kilometres and when fully completed will contain, jettys, ice machines, staff accommodation, administration offices, a chill and cold stores, an EU and FDA compliant processing and packing plant as well as a mosque. Yemeni Fish also has its own logistics network of refrigerated lorries and partnerships with airfreight carriers.
And tracking of shipments will be available 24 hours a day to all clients.
Yemeni Fish are an environmentally and socially responsible company. We are committed to sustainable fisheries management and support the work of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). It is a long-term objective of Yemeni Fish to source all its catch from sustainable sources.
"Yemeni Fish, the new name in the Middle East fishing and processing world are once again exhibiting at the Bruxelles Seafood Show, this time with a much larger stand."
"Presence at the 2003 exhibition coincided with early pilot operations at Yemeni Fish and trial fishing operations. In the last year progress has been remarkable, Yemeni Fish now employs nearly 100 personnel with a mixed European and Yemeni management team."
"Fishing operations have continued for the last year with the company's own vessel, Lena, carrying out both exploratory fishing and commercial landings on a regular basis. Both activities have been successful with regular deliveries being made to European companies in UK, Spain and France. The exploratory fishing has identified previously unexploited resources of Demersals including Crimson and Rosy Snappers which have been well received by the European markets.
Local vessels have been contracted through the fishing co-operatives to land Tuna (Yellowfin) and have been modified to provide iced storage for the catch. Fishermen have been given extensive training in post harvest techniques to improve the quality of the fish landed. The result has been excellent quality Tuna, which has been air flown to the European markets as both whole fish (gilled and gutted) and Tuna loins. Additionally Yemeni fish has developed a "Tuna Mignon", effectively a 500 gram loin aimed at retail and catering markets."
"Five new 17 metre vessels have been designed in UK and will be delivered by the end of 2004, build is currently underway at the Gulf Craft Inc. yard in the United Arab Emirates. The first new multi purpose vessel is due to be delivered to Yemeni Fish in June."
"In addition to the main emphasis on fresh air flown product the plant will produce frozen loins and fillets and fresh and frozen value added products. Completion date for the production plant is mid July with full operation of the site from mid September. European buyers will be auditing the plant in early September prior to full production in October.
In February 2004 President Ali Abdullah Saleh of the Republic of Yemen visited the site and met with Sheikh Abdullah A Bugshan, Chairman of Yemeni Fish and the management team."