To celebrate his 75th birthday, The sapmer put the small dishes in the big ones. Six chefs each concocted an appetizer and a dish using products caught by the Reunion fishing industry.. A highlight orchestrated by journalist and culinary critic Thierry Kasprowicz, the coordination of the meal being entrusted to chef Larissa Rajaonarivelo.
It all started, for Sapmer, in 1947, thanks to the determination of a few pioneers of Reunionese deep-sea fishing who set out to attack hostile seas at the ends of the world. From a first trip to the Saint-Paul and Amsterdam islands, they manage to bring back an exceptional commodity : Saint-Paul lobster. A species present exclusively in these seas bordering Antarctica, which will sustainably establish the reputation of Sapmer. Still today, Sapmer fishermen are among the rare sailors around the world to venture into these remote territories of the planet to fish for this unique lobster., now certified with the MSC label awarded to fisheries that respect the reproduction of species and the environment. “Since our first fishing, we know it is essential to go beyond standards, because we are convinced that the sustainability of species is the sine qua non condition of our own sustainability”, specifies Adrien de Chomereau, PDG de la Sapmer. The sailors of the ship go beyond the legislation since they take care, within the fishing zone, a protected space respecting the growth of lobsters. “Thanks to this protocol that the crew implements, we have the guarantee of catching lobsters of good size and excellent quality every year”, Yannis argues, the captain of the Austral.
One of the most brilliant successes in Reunion
The following trips will have as destination the Kerguelen and Crozet islands. The objective is then the toothfish, rare and precious fish whose fishing is as much deserved as it is feared, because it forces the crew to face gigantic waves. Then in the mid-2000s, yellowfin tuna fishing, then bonito fishing, are developing. La Sapmer, it is also a story of passing on know-how from generation to generation. Often several members of the same family are on board the same ship.. The lobster fishing traps are the result of an artisanal design by the sailors themselves between two campaigns. Emphasis is placed on crew training. Through its partnership with the CAP matelot of the Léon-de-Lépervanche du Port high school, Sapmer participates in the training of future sailors. Established today in Concarneau, in Mauritius and Seychelles, the fishing company maintains its headquarters in Reunion. With nearly 1000 employees, Sapmer is one of the island’s greatest business successes. “We are the second largest exporter in Reunion, behind the sugar », thus recalls Adrien de Chomereau.
