Port Fish-Meal Factory Proposed

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31116, 20 July 1966, Page 18

Port Fish-Meal Factory Proposed

Plans to establish a fish-meal factory at Lyttelton were told to a meeting of the Lyttelton Borough Council on Monday evening.

A letter from the managingdirector of P. Feron and Son, Ltd., Mr M. L Newman, said the firm had been seriously considering the waste of fish which could be turned into badly-needed fish meal, which was needed by the poultry industry in particular. Much trash fish was thrown overboard from fishing boats but could be used for fish meal. If this fish were landed at Lyttelton and processed there its manufacture would provide a sale for the water and electricity provided by the council. The economies of fish meal production were such that it would not be economic to transport the raw material from Lyttelton to Christchurch.

The company asked for the approval of the council for the setting up of a plant in Lyttelton, and also for advice on a site which would be close to a landing point and road access. Boats would not go far to land trash first as prices would be low. An ideal site would be Magazine Bay, but it was understood this was a domain and would not be available. If for any reason this site was available, the company would like to make application for it.

The company was also applying for land on the waterfront for the setting-up of a fish works which would be run in conjunction with the fish meal plant This would initially comprise freezers, and later probably a processing works as well. The matter was referred to the council's town planning committee.