The 1,430 fishers in the area are now able to load ice onto their boats prior to launching. This allows them to stay at sea for longer periods of time, simultaneously increasing their potential daily catch and improving the quality of fish brought to markets, marking steps towards improved value chain development and food security.
The Director General of the Puntland Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources cut the facility’s ceremonial ribbon and thanked Secure Fisheries and the Global Food Chain Council (GFCCC) for facilitating the provision of an ice-making machine to the local fishers in the Bander Beyla district. He added, “From now on, the Bander Beyla fishing community has access to ice to keep their fish fresh and to reduce spoilage. The ice will also improve the quality of fish that the fishermen are catching. The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources is grateful to the donors and all who contributed to this project’s success.”
The GFCCC funded the 3-ton ice maker through the Eric Prieur Memorial Research Fund. In attendance were stakeholders of the fishing community, including the mayor of Bander Beyla and the chairman of Bander Beyla Fisheries Co-Management Association.
