Clearwater Seafoods officially introduced a new clamming vessel into its fleet on 24 July, marking the single-largest vessel investment the company has ever made.
The ship (pictured), named Belle Carnell after the late mother of Clearwater’s Co-founder and Chairman Colin MacDonald, is set to harvest Arctic surf clams, cockle clams and propeller clams from the waters of the Grand Banks year-round.
All clams harvested by the Belle Carnell will undergo immediate shucking and will be individually frozen within an hour of procurement by using the ship’s state-of-the-art propriety and advanced processing technologies. Thereafter, product will be sold – almost exclusively – to international sushi and sashimi markets in the United States, Asia and Europe.
Measuring in at 73.4 meters in length, the Belle Carnell vessel has been fitted with navigational and sonar technology, and is among the most digitally advanced shellfish harvesting ships on the water, according to Clearwater representatives.
"The Belle Carnell is the most technologically advanced shellfish harvester in the world and we are extremely pleased to be adding her to our fleet," said Mike Pittman, Vice President Fleet for Clearwater Seafoods, in a news release. "This larger, more efficient vessel will strengthen our leadership in innovative, sustainable seafood harvesting."
"This investment is another demonstration of Clearwater's commitment to create the greatest economic return for the fishery while ensuring the principles of fisheries conservation science are upheld, respected, and resources safeguarded for future generations," added CEO Ian Smith in the release. "Since the collapse of our ground fishery more than two decades ago, we learned the hard lesson to take less, but create more value by leaving the resource in a better state than we found it in. To do anything less, would be short-sighted, misguided and irresponsible."
The vessel is expected to create some 70 new full-time positions and will boost Clearwater Seafoods’ 52-week processing operations by up to 50 percent in the town of Grand Bank, Newfoundland.
