The Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze visited licensed fishing vessels in the Black Sea port city of Poti, according to the Government Administration. During the visit, Kobakhidze met with the leaders of several licensed fishing companies, including Sea Products, Paliastomi 2004, Geofish Company, Iceberg-2, and MBM, to learn more about their operations.

In addition to their fishing activities, these companies are involved in fish processing, and in recent years, they have established four fishmeal and oil processing plants, along with three freezing facilities, all of which meet international standards, the Administration noted.

When fishing licenses were first granted, no Georgian company owned its own vessels, relying instead on leased ships from abroad. However, with the growth of the local industry, efforts have been made to establish a Georgian fishing fleet. As a result, licensed companies have purchased five vessels.

Thanks to support from Enterprise Georgia, the government agency responsible for promoting entrepreneurship, the fleet has since expanded by nine additional vessels, which will be operated by a newly trained Georgian crew. Local fishermen have also acquired modern fishing vessels, further advancing the sector and the use of modern technologies.

The total investment in this project exceeds GEL 38 million ($13.9 million), leading to the creation of 161 new jobs. The acquisition of these new vessels will enable companies to fully exploit local fish resources and develop a more systematic, export-oriented production of fish products in Georgia.