of change

A decade of change

The Asian currency crisis has, no doubt, had vast global effect, but in the fishing industry, it is being most felt in the air.

That is, the air cargo space, by which all seafood products are rushed to their various markets, has recently been drasti cally reduced.

“This,” says David Lucas, general manager of Solander Pacific, “could seri ously affect the industry’s ability to export all their catch in the coming busy months”.

And Mr Lucas has been in Fiji long enough to know what he is talking about.

Having reached its tenth year of opera tions in the country, Solander (Pacific) Limited can be considered a success.

Registered in Fiji in June 1988, the company specialises in catching pelagic fish by means of surface long-lining.

Ninety-seven per cent of their catch is exported mainly to Japan, USA, American Samoa and Australia.

But with the reduction in flights around the Pacific Rim, the industry is gearing up to adapt to a tight squeeze in terms of refrigerated cargo space.

The Asian currency crisis caused Korean Airlines to stop its flights to Fiji, and who knows how it will affect flights to Japan where the economy is going through a low that has not been felt since the post-war era.

Employing 50 people and another 10 on a casual basis, Solander Pacific, like others in the fishing industry, will hang on and make the most of circumstances.

“We will continue doing that which we know best,” says Mr Lucas.

So while the industry gets set for change towards 2000, and any other cri sis, there is no doubt that the five Solander vessels will be out again tomorrow to cap italise on the biggest season to come.

Asian currency crisis or not. ■