DailyPost Administrator posted on January 19, 2010 08:33
The public who are interested in the Blacksands Fishing plant will be keen to know that the second Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the Blacksands Fishing plant is nearing completion.
Consultations will be held at the Chief’s nakamal this week.
Fisheries Director Robert Jimmy revealed that the RAPT will be making a presentation as well as Fisheries and the Environment unit.
Specialists who undertook this second review are two consultants contracted by the Fisheries, in particular former Environment Director Ernest Bani is the principal consultant.
The 2nd EIA which the Vanuatu Government injected Vt2million into begun on February 23 last year to address the issues raised by RAPT and the public at large on the Blacksands fishing plant and fill any gaps that the original project might have failed to include.
This is only in the best interests of the people to ensure the fishing plant does not adversely affect the environment and the people of Port Vila.
The Fishing plant was opened by Prime Minister Edward Natapei and Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu HE Cheng Shuping early September 2009.
Four months have elapsed since then and the Fisheries Director has high hopes that the Fishing plant will begin its operations by March this year.
“Once the issue of EIA and consultation is sorted out then we can plan the operations,” he said.
The Blacksands Fishing plant is estimated to be the biggest of its kind in the whole Pacific and is jointly owned by the Sino Van Ltd (51%) and the Vanuatu Government (49%) and there are 37 registered Chinese Fishing vessels which will offload in Port Vila.
The original idea for Vanuatu to have its own fishing base first emerged in 2003.
- Jane Joshua