Aquaculture: South Africans invest Rs 1.4 billion

The Ministry of Ocean Economy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the South African company Growfish International Ltd. The main objective is to facilitate scientific exchanges between the staff of the Albion Fisheries Research Centre and the technical team of Growfish International in addressing fish breeding techniques, disease control and feed formulation. Set up in 2010, Growfish International is involved in commercial aquaculture activities aimed at the production of high value fish species for the export market. The MoU also serves as an umbrella agreement that sets forth the general terms and conditions under which Growfish International will use the facilities at the Albion centre namely the renovation of the ponds and maturation facilities. The Minister of Ocean Economy, Premdut Koonjoo, stressed that this new venture will bring investments, create jobs, enhance capacity building and transfer of technology. The project is a quick-win one, he said, which will reap benefits in around 8 to 9 months. For his part, Jacques Smith, a representative of Growfish International, said the company would invest around Rs 1.4 billion ($40 million) which includes sea cages, land hatcheries, quarantine facilities, larval husbandry facility, maturation nursery for juvenile fish production and a fish processing facility.

The Project

Growfish International projects to create around 100 jobs and investment will be made in the human capital through training and development programmes aimed at university graduates enabling the development of a competent Mauritian core to drive the project forward. In addition, the company has also proposed to collaborate with the University of Miami for the development of the local manpower needs of the company. The company has identified four marine sites on the west coast of Mauritius to develop its farms. Additionally, an area of around three hectares will be required to house the inland facilities for the project. The company aims to produce an estimated 5,000 tonnes in the early stages of the project, which may rise to 20,000 tonnes over the next five years. As regards the fish species, the cobia has been identified as a potential species. This species grows very well under the local climatic conditions and is ready for harvest within 8 to 9 months. This fish will be exported mainly to European and Asian markets and will also be sold through specific outlets in Mauritius.