Oceanpick’s ocean farms receive national spotlight

Irfan Thassim, Founder & Director of Oceanpick (Pvt) Ltd receiving the award from President Maithripala Sirisena at ‘Min Visithuru 2016’

Oceanpick, Sri Lanka and South Asia’s first-ever commercial scale oceanic Barramundi farm in Trincomalee, was graced by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake’s visit recently.

The minister was welcomed by General Manager of Oceanpick Fazli Nayeem, and Farm Managers Daniel Richardson and Fayas Buhary. His visit to Oceanpick’s off-shore facility was significant as the Minister was on a visit to meet pivotal SME sector entrepreneurs in the East of the island for upcoming budget suggestions. 

The high profile visit from the Finance Minister was preceded by Oceanpick receiving an award from President Maithripala Sirisena at ‘Min Visithuru 2016’, an exhibition organized by the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry along with the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) earlier in August. 

The award was bestowed on Oceanpick in recognition of its status as the pioneer in marine aquaculture in Sri Lanka and in appreciation of its contributions to the aquaculture sector in the country. Oceanpick was set up in 2012 to pursue sustainable fish production in Sri Lanka and has now elevated Sri Lanka’s standing in the world aquaculture arena. These positive accomplishments reflect the national importance of Oceanpick’s pioneering venture. During his visit at Oceanpick’s facility, Ravi Karunanayake toured all aspects of the operation and engaged senior management of the company in discussing challenges and opportunities faced by the standalone industry. 
The Minister expressed positive feelings about Oceanpick’s investment, its potential for export revenue generation and import substitution, the sustainable and environmental friendliness of the project, employment generation in the Trincomalee area and its technological joint venture partnership with a Scottish firm. 

Oceanpick is a joint venture between a host of Sri Lankan investors including Aberdeen Holding, Chadstone, Kames of Scotland and well supported with strategic banking relationship with Amana Bank PLC. The initiative has received much impetus from the Fisheries Ministry led by NAQDA, Sri Lanka Ports Authority and Sri Lanka Navy. The first phase of Oceanpick was completed with a US$4.5 million investment with a 400 MT production capacity, but the company anticipates to more than double the capacity to 1,500 MT within the next couple of years