Job Vacancies

Tropical Marine Center - London
Fish House Assistant Required - Based in Chorleywood

Tropical Marine Centre is Europe's largest ornamental marine livestock wholesaler and hatchery and the UK's leading manufacturer and distributor of innovative commercial filtration equipment and quality branded aquatic products.
We currently have a vacancy for a Fish House Assistant working as part of a very busy team in our modern fish holding facility in Chorleywood. Although usual working hours will be Monday to Friday, due to the nature of the business some flexibility in hours and some evening and weekend work will be required.

No experience is necessary but you should have a keen interest in aquatics, and be enthusiastic, hard-working and eager to learn all aspects of fish husbandry. Salary according to experience. Due to our location, your own transport is essential.

If you are looking for a challenging position in a stimulating environment please send your CV (including current salary) to Tropical Marine Centre, Solesbridge Lane, Chorleywood, Herts, WD3 5SX. Tel: 01923 284151. Or apply on-line.

TMC - Manchester
Fish House Assistant Required - Based in Manchester

Tropical Marine Centre is Europe's largest ornamental marine livestock wholesaler and hatchery and the UK's leading manufacturer and distributor of innovative commercial filtration equipment and quality branded aquatic products.
We currently have a vacancy for a Fish House Assistant working as part of a very busy team in our modern fish holding facility in Manchester. Although usual working hours will be Monday to Friday, due to the nature of the business some flexibility in hours and some evening and weekend work will be required.

No experience is necessary but you should have a keen interest in aquatics, and be enthusiastic, hard-working and eager to learn all aspects of fish husbandry. Salary according to experience.

If you are looking for a challenging position in a stimulating environment please send your CV (including current salary) to careers@tropicalmarinecentre.co.uk. Or apply on-line.

TMC - Bristol
Fish House Assistant Required - Based in Bristol

Tropical Marine Centre is Europe's largest ornamental marine livestock wholesaler and hatchery and the UK's leading manufacturer and distributor of innovative commercial filtration equipment and quality branded aquatic products.
We currently have a vacancy for a Fish House Assistant working as part of a very busy team in our modern fish holding facility in Bristol. Although usual working hours will be Monday to Friday, due to the nature of the business some flexibility in hours and some evening and weekend work will be required.

No experience is necessary but you should have a keen interest in aquatics, and be enthusiastic, hard-working and eager to learn all aspects of fish husbandry. Salary according to experience.

If you are looking for a challenging position in a stimulating environment please send your CV (including current salary) to:
Nick Bridel, Tropical Marine Centre, Unit 2, The Laurels, Cribbs Causeway Centre, Bristol BS10 7TT, email: careers@tropicalmarinecentre.co.uk or apply on-line.

New Opportunities!

New positions available:

Category: Processing

Company Name: The National Prawn Company

Country: Saudi Arabia

Location of Job: worldwide locations Closing Date: Sep 30, 2008

Description of Job: The National Prawn Company is the world’s largest fully integrated desert aquaculture project at present producing approximately 15,000 tonnes of Shrimp per annum. The Company is a true global leader and at present employs over 2300 plus employees by twenty three nationalities. The Company is in a significant expansion period and in order to diversify and expand it’s business interests across the globe, it is looking for highly motivated and successful professionals with proven track records for the following positions:

PROCESSING PLANT MANAGER – SAUDI ARABIA (CODE:PPM-AJ)

We are seeking a dynamic seafood processing professional whose core competency is the management of a sophisticated technological production plant. The candidate will be expected to provide constant innovative ideas in improving productivity, reducing expenses and utilization of new technology. He will also be expected to ensure that the senior management’s production vision is fully implemented. He will need to work on the floor and in the office and requires a flexible attitude in order to ensure that production can complement the requirements from an ever changing market environment.

The ideal candidate for this position should have:

• A Master degree in management / Production Engineering / Bio Sciences• Experience of independently running a shrimp / frozen food plant for over 12 years• Knowledge of ISO, HACCP, SQF & EU directives, with keenness towards quality• Knowledge of the Engineering & Technology aspects including shrimp head rendering plant• Ability to work with a multinational workforce and excellent interpersonal skills

OPERATIONS MANAGER- VIETNAM (CODE:OMV-AJ) The candidate for this position would be required to manage the company’s off-shore operations in Vietnam. Currently, this will consist of managing our representative office, overseeing our interests in a seafood processing plant, which we currently utilize, managing our other activities such as product importing, exporting and cold storage. This operation works both as an extended arm of our processing facilities and as a stand-alone profit center.

The appropriate person for the position should be: • Preferably a science graduate with 10 years or more of experience in Vietnam• Should have proven Vietnamese operational seafood experience• An understanding of product quality current hygiene standards and any of ISO, HACCP & EU Directives is highly desirable• Excellent inter-personal and communication skills, both in English and Vietnamese are essential.• An understanding of Vietnamese import and export documentation system is highly desirable• Superior Computer knowledge would be highly desirable in the discharge of his functions of reporting and presenting data.

REGIONAL BRAND MANAGER – EUROPE (CODE:BME-AJ)

We are in search of a dynamic Sales Professional, from the FMCG sector, with sound knowledge of seafood or other protein foods. Experience in both fresh, frozen and Value Added product categories are mandatory. Ideally, he should be a Graduate with an MBA and 10 years of experience in establishing and subsequently handling Super/Hypermarket and food service accounts. The main function will be to initiate improve on and then manage specific distribution networks in Europe and look for additional sources of revenue generation.

The successful candidate will be a highly motivated individual who will work in tandem with the head office marketing team. He should also be an innovator who should constantly be in quest of developing his brand. Superior communication, analytical and computer skills are mandatory for the position. This person would be operating out of England, however regular travel to other European countries will be required. Knowledge of an additional language and previous other EU market experience is highly desirable.

MANAGER – FISH PROJECT (CODE: MFP-AJ)

We seek a professional from the aquaculture industry, whose endeavors in culturing multiple marine tropical species of fish, have met with successes. Sufficient exposure in developing and managing a coastal aquaculture farming operations is absolutely essential. Knowledge of culturing species like sea cucumber, Bivalves & sea weed, would give him an edge. He should also possess adequate knowledge of market demand trends and be able to identify commercially viable varieties, which can be easily cultured in the gulf region.

The ideal requirements from the right candidate for the position, are:

• Aquaculture Engineering with a MBA and developed & managed bigger fish operations.• Technically sound knowledge & Experience in flow through and re-circulated marine fish farming and fry production.• Knowledge of HACCP, EU Directives, FAO (Codex Alimentarius)• Practical and outcome focused approach. Act as a motivator and a leader for his team• Ability to get along with multi ethnic and multinational workforce• Possess excellent inter-personal and communication & Report writing skills in English

Contact Information:

The National Prawn Company offers an excellent work environment congenial to professional growth. For those positions which are located at site and whose incumbents intend to live with their families in the Kingdom, Jeddah the nearest city, have international schools and secured western residential compounds, having all the necessities of modern life available. If you feel you have the ability to accept this challenge, please email CVs containing photograph to: hrd-npc@robian.com.sa or fax +966-7-7329000.

The last date for receiving applications is 30th September 2008. Please do mention the job code of the position that you are applying for in the subject matter of the mail. Please do pay us a visit at: http://www.robian.com.sa

Innovations in Portuguese oyster culture.

The region of Alvarge in Portugal already has its first exclusively oyster dedicated restaurant. The concept is to try the clam in some ways: basic natural, and more elaborated with fancy recipes.

The enterprise came from “the life is Beautiful” company, which after acting in diverse areas decided to enter the gastronomic business. The place is situated in Tavira city, at the gardens of the “Vila Galé Albacora Hotel”, and has privileged view of the place where the oyster is produced: “ria Formosa”.

Thinking of the future, the company acquired a culture of oysters and guarantees that the region farmers produce all the bivalves they use. The objective is to democratize the consumption of the clam, usually associated to the high social class, and to increase the exportation of the products “made in Ria Formosa”.

The company is interested in expanding the market of the Portuguese oysters, already very appreciated by the Frenchmen who pay expensive for them:

- “When I was in Arcachon, I realized that the most expensive oysters were the ones they called ‘les portugaises’. I came to discover that there were a nickname because they were created in Ria Formosa.”
“António Corner, of the company “the life is Beautiful”

The company also wants to show the local producers ways to add value to the clam, and for this they co-ordinate excursions for the main consuming regions, as Lisboa and France, where they learn the different treatments given to the oyster.

Moreover they propose innovations as form to attract tourists to the region, when showing how the oysters are produced and providing a well-elaborated meal and with gastronomic luxuries.

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“Here’s the oyster” Festival

Between days 25 - 27 of July the first festival of the oyster - “Here’s the oyster”, it was carried through by the Formosa Cooperative - Cooperative of formosa Ria oyster producers and the City council of Tavira.

Fellow creature to the already traditional events - Festival of the Shellfish and the Village of Cockles – this festival is another action of marketing to divulge the oysters produced in Ria Formosa and to form a tourist script of bivalves in the region.

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To read this story in Portuguese language, click here!

Seaweed threatens reefs

Kappaphycus alvarezii and Eucheuma denticulatum seaweeds had been introduced to commercial level in 20 countries around of the world, in effort to motivate poor communities located in coastal areas of the tropics to cultivate them and acquire an extra source of income; unhappily the general result was a failure. In the south of India, for example, the k. alvarezii invaded the Reserve of the Manmar Gulf, covering reefs and killing entire colonies.

These seaweed species are called “hard”, since marine animals do not consume them, and exclusively cultivated for carrageenan extraction, agglutinant used in innumerable nourishing products. Nowadays, they are produced about 120mil tons per year in Philippines and Indonesia, native countries of these species.

E. enticulatum

K. alvarezii

The introduction of those seaweeds in Hawaii was made 30 years ago by a professor of the Hawaii University, Max Doty, creator of culture techniques that had been exported worldwide. Today, the country suffers with the infestation of the two species, which spread into the coast with a growth of 7% a day, covering reefs, frightening fish and destroying the local fauna.

Dead reef

The uncontrolled growth of the seaweed is resulted of a badly planned and executed project, in witch cultural factors of the region and public and private initiative integration had not been taken in account. Without having whom to sell or receiving low values for the seaweed, the majority of producers abandoned its cultivars, which today grow freely becoming one of the biggest ecological concerns in Hawaii.

Reef destruction by seaweed growth

Fighting against the reef degradation, the University, State and the Nature Conservancy had invented the “Super Suckers”, vacuum cleaners attached to Catamarans that suck up to 1,3 tons of seaweed per day.

- “In the current situation we would need 10 years to clean this bay”, said Brian Hauk, governmental supervisor of invading aquatic species.

"Super Sucker" and diver removing seaweed

To read this story in Portuguese language, click here!