U.K. fishermen to Yemen [Archives:2003/624/Local News]

BY NEWS SERVICES

A Team of fishermen from Westcountry, U.K. is making final plans to begin a voyage to Yemen this week to catch exotic fish such as yellowfin tuna and red snapper.
Financed by Yemenite businessmen, the project aims to bring the fish back to European markets by air freight.
The scheme has been organized by leading UK fisheries consultants McAllister Elliot and Partners Ltd, based in Hampshire.
Project co-ordinator, skipper Chris Bean, from Helford, said: “Considerable facilities ashore are already in place, a new fish factory has been built and the financiers are very serious about the future of the whole businesss.
A further 15 new vessels have already been discussed.” The pilot project aboard the recently named Lena I will decide the future size of the new Yemen fish operation.
Mr Bean has worked on several projects in previous years in the waters around Yemen. Lena I will be the first of a number of new vessels, feeding catch to the newly-built Yemen factory which will get fish in “top-class condition” to EU markets within hours of landing.
The Lena I will operate around the year, daylight fishing for red snapper in the monsoon season from April to November and thereafter seeking much bigger quarry, yellowfin tuna, each fish weighing up to 80kg, plus even larger swordfish, all longline operations taking place during the hours of darkness.
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