MFV Edinburgh's November - December fishing voyage
Report from Cynthia Green
MFV Edinburgh loaded passengers at about 3pm on Monday 11th December 2017 and the ship sailed for Cape Town late in the evening. This departure is the final 2017 voyage from Tristan, as MFV Geo Searcher will remain at the Tristan da Cunha Islands over Christmas and New Year, planning to return to Cape Town on 9th January 2018.
The passengers aboard are islanders Karl, Julia & Kaitlyn Hagan, Joseph & Anne Green and Gerry Repetto, together with Factory Manager Clinton de Bod, Vladimir Laptikhovsky, Thomas Mercier, Charlotte Johansen and Christina Domeland.
MV Edinburgh anchored off Gough Island in 2015
Update from Administrator Sean Burns
MFV Edinburgh arrived at Tristan on Saturday 18th from Inaccessible Island and during the morning of Sunday 19th November, the passengers came ashore, four days after first arriving at Tristan, and eleven days after leaving Cape Town.
The vessel brought the refurbished Search and Rescue RIB back with her. James Glass, Rodney Green and Warren Glass have joined the vessel as she heads off to do the first round of surveys on the sea mounts. This programme is being funded by the Blue Belt programme and is part of a strategy to develop Tristan's fishery in a sustainable manner. A fisheries officer from CEFAS is also aboard. After the survey she will then start to fish commercially. She is expected to depart here for Cape Town in early December. This is an additional trip to the schedule and is one of tangible benefits to Tristan of developing the fishery.
Report from Cynthia Green
MFV Edinburgh departed Cape Town on Wednesday 8th November 2017 and arrived at Tristan a week later on the morning of Wednesday 15th November. Unfortunately sea conditions were not suitable to get the passengers ashore, so the ship has gone to the lee of Inaccessible Island. The weather forecast is poor for the next few days but it is hoped passengers can be brought ashore soon.
Passengers are English Teacher Peter Foster and visitors Thomas Mercier, Charlotte Johansen and Christina Domeland.
Additional Fishing Voyage gives extra shipping capacity for Tristan
MFV Edinburgh is making its second 2017 fishing trip to the local seamounts, carrying out a long-line operation and biomass survey. The new venture by the fishing concession Ovenstones means an extra Tristan trip and more capacity to carry passengers to and from the island. Formerly MFV Edinburgh was the principal lobster fishing vessel, but this role has been taken over by MFV Geo Searcher. MV Baltic Trader has also been brought back into service as a passenger - cargo ship.
Three November arrivals - then a gap until February 2018
MFV Geo Searcher is expected to depart Cape Town on 15th November for an extended fishing trip until January, carrying the last post and supplies of 2017. Therefore there will be three ships arriving at Tristan during November 2017, but the next arrival will not be until February 2018, when MFV Edinburgh is due to arrive on the 1st on the month.