Tristan : New Fish Factory Opened on Tristan
Submitted by Tristan Times (Sarah Glass) 20.07.2009 (Current Article)

The Opening of Tristan’s new Fishing Factory seventeen months after being destroyed by fire.

Photo (c) James Glass (Tristan Times) New Factory: Charl Project Manger of Apple Group: Left to Right - Charl Moolman (Project Manager) Eric Mackenzie and Alice Glass

NEW FISH FACTORY OPENED ON TRISTAN

By Sarah Glass (Tristan Times)

Photo (c) James Glass (Tristan Times) New Factory: left to right -Charl Project Manger of Apple Group: Left to Right - Charl Moolman (Project Manager)  Eric Mackenzie and Alice Glass.

The Opening of Tristan’s new Fishing Factory seventeen months after being destroyed by fire.

Very few summer days are seen on Tristan during the winter, where we experience 66+ inches of rain per annum, but the 17th July 2009, the day chosen to open the new factory turned out beautifully.

The first fishing factory producing can lobster, was situated at Big Beach and was opened by Rev Lawrence in 1949, who served as a priest on Tristan during the war.  This factory was totally destroyed by the lava flow from the 1961 volcanic eruption.

After the return of the islanders from UK, a modern factory was built on a plateau above Calshot Harbour in 1965 and opened in time for the first fishing day on 23rd May 1966.  This factory was destroyed by fire, 17 months ago on the 13th February 2008.

Eurex (Ovenstones) the concession holders, responsible for catching and export Tristan lobster, quickly made plans to rebuilt a bigger and more modern Factory to EU Standards, that would enable Tristan lobster to be sold into Europe.  The contract was awarded to a South African company the Apple Group, and despite having to work through Tristan’s winter they did an excellent job. 

The factory was blessed by the Anglican Priest, and the Project Manager Charl Moolman thank the islanders for their support, in looking after the contract workers whilst on the island, the new factory was then opened by the oldest women on the island Alice Glass of 93 years, who is still remarkable fit, lives on her own and capable of caring for herself.

Her son in-law Basil Lavarello had been the local factory manger for many years and her daughter Pamela the factory’s processor supervisor, sadly both are not alive to witness the occasion.  As pointed out by the factory manager in his welcoming speech, it was the tradition as the last factory was also open by the oldest lady of the island, Jane Lavarello, back in 1966 who was also in her nineties.

Followed in the evening at 7pm, in the Prince Philip hall was a celebrating and drinks on behalf of the contractors of Apple Group, who were obvious looking forward to returning home to their families in Cape Town, South Africa. 

The M.V. Edinburgh who had been waiting for the contractors to complete their work, returned from Inaccessible to Tristan on Saturday the 18th to back load cargo, and the passengers (contractors included) embarked on Sunday the 19th and departed for Cape Town.