Keys to the recently modernised South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee fishery patrol vessel 'Cranogwen' were received by Clr. Mrs. Rosemary Hayes, chair of the committee at a ceremony held at Pembroke Dock, recently. Mr. Lucas Boissevain, company secretary of Mustang Marine (Wales) Ltd., the yard which undertook the contract, handed over the vessel which is almost unrecognisable from her original form. Facing the increasing burdens of inshore sea fisheries management, the committee had, some years ago, sought to replace the vessel with a new craft, but with limited resources had resolved to build upon the sound hull of their existing vessel. They were pleased to award the £350k contract to a South Wales yard which saw a complete replacement of the superstructure, an inspection craft deployment system and refurbishment of crew accommodation. Committee members were also given a demonstration of the vessel's state of the art electronics package which in the fields of at sea enforcement and seabed mapping is already demonstrating significant increased effectiveness. Speaking later at the Pembroke Yacht Club, the committee's director, Mr. Phil Coates, paid tribute to the yard and all those concerned with the contract. "The vessel marks the Committee's continuing commitment to an at-sea enforcement presence. The job asked of inshore fishery managers may be set to expand from six out to 12 miles under a current review being undertaken by the National Assembly. This vessel places the committee in the position to meet that challenge, working in partnership with other stakeholders," he said.
