Source:  ABN

By the start of the second half of 2010, Venezuela’s national fishing fleet -via the Socialist Joint Venture Industrial Pesquera del Alba (Emspia)-, which already has six vessels, will reach a total of 13 boats, with the acquisition of seven new vessels by the Venezuelan State, some of them tuna purse seiners.

The Socialist president of the Institute for Fisheries and Aquaculture (Insopesca), Gilberto Giménez, said that there are negotiations to purchase two mackerel fishing boats, of 100 meters long and capable of capturing about 4,000 kilos of mackerel per operation.

In this regard, two additional freezer vessels will be acquired to search for this species in the deep sea as well as an offshore tanker to supply fuel to these two mackerel fishing vessels.

Additionally, it is expected that by mid 2010, Emspia will count on having two purse seine vessels to catch tuna, which come increase the total number of vessels engaged in catching protein rich food for the Venezuelan people.

In relation to the distribution of tuna landed by these vessels, Mr. Gimenez said that the loads will go directly to the tuna processing plant, Antonio José de Sucre and Fextun, both located in the state of Sucre.

"These tuna companies are run by socialists Corporación Venezolana Agraria (CVA) who will process this important fish product, which will be distributed nationwide at fair prices by the chain Mercados de Alimentos (Mercal) and the Productora y Distribuidora de Alimentos (Pdval)", Mr. Gimenez reported.