After a fire that destroyed the technological area of the La Coloma processing plant, in Pinar del Río, a hard blow to the national economy, the priority is to keep the lobster fleet active, they told newspaper Granma company directors.
Focused on this purpose, 44 boats will set sail in the coming days to distant fishing areas, where they will have to extend their work to compensate for the lack of local processing.
“The effort of the fishermen is going to be greater. They will have to stay more days away from their homes, because the transfer of what they catch will be to other territories,” explained Yordan Nogueira Tapia, director of the “La Coloma” Industrial Fishing Company.
Lobster is one of Cuba’s main exportable items, with markets in Asia and Europe. According to forecasts published in Granmain 2024 La Coloma should have invoiced about 22 million dollars, just as it did in 2023. A ton of whole raw seafood sells for 18 thousand dollars in the international market, according to a report from the National Television News.
Millionaire losses
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, October 14, reduced 70% of the plant’s facilities, responsible for 45% of Cuban lobster exports, to ashes, according to official figures.
Preliminary losses exceed 110 million Cuban pesos, most of them in foreign currency.
However, the manager clarifies Granmathis figure could rise when the demolition and waste collection work is completed, and the state of the facility can be evaluated in detail.
La Coloma workers were ready to receive an online inspection from the European Community; In addition, they had the Wi-Fi system that would allow this exam. For this purpose, new boards with ammonia detectors and temperature controllers monitored from the ice plant were installed, explained the newspaper local Guerrilla.
Of the 2,700 tons planned to be captured, 600 have not been met to date, among other reasons due to the low availability of fuel. The pernicious effects of climate change on the seabed of the platform also influence, given that recent monitoring and studies confirm a lesser manifestation of the species, the Pinar del Río environment abounded.
The high temperatures in the sea and the absence of marine refuges due to the damage caused by the hurricanes encourage lobsters to migrate to deeper areas, which are difficult to reach with the fishing gear available today.
Solidarity and recovery plans
Among the rubble lies state-of-the-art equipment acquired in 2022, such as an automatic sorter and vacuum packaging tunnels, essential to meet international standards.
In addition to the machines, the stainless steel tables and shelves, the climate equipment, the interior walls, made of metal panels, the false ceilings, the zinc covers and even a piece of the plate, were also consumed by the flames, detailed the journalistic report of Granma.
The facility, described by Nogueira as “first world,” employed 175 workers. One group will be relocated to a fish and seafood processing line within the same company; others will join reconstruction brigades.
Those who cannot return will receive 60% of their basic salary under the interrupted status.
Neighbors and workers take turns removing twisted beams and charred panels. The community of La Coloma, of about 5 thousand inhabitants, has donated water and food for the brigade members.
Although at the time of the fire the industry was not in operation, 1,300 kg of lobster were stored there pending packaging, according to the director of the fishing entity.
Founded in 1971, La Coloma is one of the most important fishing centers in Cuba. According to official figures, before the fire it processed about 1,200 tons of lobster per year.
The fire occurs in a scenario of shortages of construction materials and fuels on the island, which will complicate reconstruction.
“It is a disaster,” José Luis Páez Rodríguez, a fisherman on the lobster boat 110, belonging to the Boca de Galafre extractive company, told the Guerrillero newspaper.
