PIONEER FISHING has recently invested about R35 million at its Oranjevis fishmeal plant to upgrade it to a state of the art steam dry facility.

“We are seeing tremendous benefits: improved yield due to processing and inclusion of all stickwater - processed through new falling film evaporator - and reduced energy consumption thanks to the use of vapours ex steam dryers as energy source for evaporators and improved protein content in meal,” says the company’s Hannes du Preez.

All fishmeal is now mainly being exported for aquaculture use. The factory has also been trying for two years to obtain an export certificate for the massive Chinese market and has just succeeded to obtain this, opening up this new market, du Preez reports.

“We are also in the middle of the anchovy season.”

“So far the season is looking much better than last year with daily landings up, and more fishing days due to improved weather.”

“We are also investigating pair trawling of anchovy and redeye as this method will allow us to operate more days per year. Last year the plant only received fish on 115 days from its purse seine fleet,” du Preez says.