NEW FISHING VESSEL BEING LAUNCHED; BLESSED AND NAMED.




Initials MA/V/MR/PF



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Background: THE FISHING INDUSTRY OF THE IVORY COAST - ONCE THE HAPHAZARD OCCUPATION OF SCATTERED RIVER FOLK WITH CANOES AND HOME-MADE FISHING NETS - HAS BURGEONED INTO ONE OF THE NATION'S FOREMOST OCCUPATIONS.

SEVENTY TRAWLERS OPERATED BY FOUR FOREIGN FIRMS IN ASSOCIATION WITH AFRICANS, LAST YEAR TURNED IN CATCHES TOTALLING 48,000 TONS. MODERN FISHING METHODS HAVE REPLACED THE PRIMITIVE ART OF THE NATIVE.

AN ADDITION TO THE IVORY COAST'S FISHING FLEET HAS JUST BEEN LAUNCHED AT ABIDJAN - A SARDINE BOAT FINANCED BY A FRENCH FISHING CONCERN - ENTERPRISE DE PECHERIES IVORIEN. THE VESSEL 58 METRIC TONS WAS BUILT AT ABIDJAN IN SIX MONTHS AT A COST OF 21 MILLION CFA (84,000 DOLLARS).

THE VESSEL WAS NAMED KATIA BY MISS MURIEL GITTON, DAUGHTER OF THE OWNER, AND BLESSED BY A LOCAL PRIEST, PERE OLIVIER.

ABIDJAN IS ONE OF THE BEST FISHING PORTS IN WEST AFRICA AND TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER ITS EXISTING QUAY OF 400 METRES (457 YARDS) IS BEING EXTENDED TO 800 METRES (875 YARDS).

MORE THAN HALF THE TRAWLERS' CATCH IS SOLD IN ABIDJAN TO AFRICAN WOMEN TRADERS. IT'S THEN SMOKED AND SOLD - MUCH OF IT FOR EXPORT. ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE INDUSTRY IS THAT 20,000 TONS OF TUNNY FISH WENT THROUGH ABIDJAN IN 1967 TO MARKETS OVERSEAS. MOST OF IT WAS LANDED BY FRENCH, JAPANESE AND SENEGALESE VESSELS.

THE SARDINES CAUGHT BY THE KATIA WILL BE TINNED AT A NEWLY OPENED CANNING WORKS. WHEN WORKING TO CAPACITY IT WILL HANDLE HALF A MILLION TINS OF SARDINES - CUTTING IMPORTS FORM MOROCCO AND SAYING VALUABLE FOREIGN CURRENCY.