Thank you for your support, Oceana Group

Sea Rescue wouldn’t be able to perform its lifesaving rescue and water-safety education work without funding from our partners. We thank the Oceana Group for being by our side for nearly two decades and for, among others, supporting water-safety education in the fishing sector.

The Oceana Group is a global fishing company operating in South Africa, Namibia and the US. The company is more than 100 years old, and is involved in the catching, processing, marketing and distribution of canned fish, fishmeal, fish oil, lobster, horse mackerel, squid and hake. This is done via mid-water fishing, deep-sea trawling, and inshore fishing for pelagic fish. The company also provides refrigerated warehouse facilities and logistical support services.

Mutual support

Looking after the fishing and maritime industries is one of Sea Rescue’s mandates and it’s a logical fit that Oceana and the NSRI support each other. The partnership is nearly two decades strong, and growing.

‘The Oceana Group has been a supporter of NSRI since 2002 and a Platinum Sponsor since 2013. Throughout this partnership, Oceana has continued to sustain our organisation through its annual subscription,’ says NSRI CEO Dr Cleeve Robertson. In addition, ‘Oceana and the NSRI often share space in relation to maritime safety advocacy, particularly in relation to the fishing industry but more recently in relation to water-safety education for vulnerable children. The Oceana-NSRI relationship is an enduring one, and assists the NSRI in saving lives.’

Over the years, Oceana has become more involved in Sea Rescue’s Water Safety programme. The group’s contribution goes specifically towards drowning prevention, targeting schools in disadvantaged communities. This year, the NSRI and Oceana also collaborated in delivering drowning-prevention classes to small-scale fishermen in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

Oceana’s Group Executive: Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Zodwa Velleman comments: ‘The Oceana Group's Platinum Partnership of the NSRI is only one way we acknowledge and appreciate the essential, life-saving service they provide in this country. Not only in support of our sea-going employees but for all South Africans at risk of drowning. Their range of drowning-prevention initiatives has saved many lives. In support of these efforts, Oceana has also embarked on a partnership with the NSRI to deliver much-needed drowning-prevention training to the small-scale fishing sector in SA. We have already reached hundreds of small-scale fishers in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal through this partnership. We plan to reach hundreds more in other provinces in the coming months through collaboration and our commitment to positively impact lives.’

Thank you, Oceana, for helping us to progress our drowning-preventions strategies. Your contribution to saving lives on South African waters is invaluable.