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Kids will absolutely adore the innovative new Fish ’n Crisps, which combines I&J tried and trusted fish fingers, with a coating of crispy potato crumbs. Available in three delicious flavours – Original, Tomato and Toasted Cheese – the new Fish ’n Crisps combines all the benefits of fish with the crunchiness of real potato.

 

 

I&J has also introduced the Fish Bakes, a delectable combination of the finest fish and freshest potatoes, combined with a perfect blend of herbs and spices, and coated in I&J’s secret crispy golden crumb. Available in two flavours - Lemon and, Garlic and Parsley - the Fish Bakes form the basis of a delicious, hearty meal.

 

 

I&J has been taken into a new era of progressive and environmentally conscious fishing when last September, with the launch of the Responsible Fisheries Alliance, the company and three other prominent South African fishing businesses, committed to working together and sharing solutions in the mutual goal of securing the future of seafood and marine ecosytems.

 

The broad objective of the RFA is to provide a platform for I&J and its counterparts in the fishing industry - the Oceana Group (Public, JNB:OCE), Sea Harvest and Viking Fishing - to support the implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) management. But, in reality the RFA will formalize and expand the mutually beneficial partnership that has developed between these prominent fishing companies and the international conservation organization, WWF.

 

For example, over the past two years, I&J and Sea Harvest have provided funding for WWF experts to teach skippers and fishing crews about responsible fishing practices. And, after a scientific assessment was conducted on the environmental impacts of trawling, I&J and other members of the South African Deep-Sea Trawling Industry Association (SADSTIA) took the initiative to "ring fence" existing trawl grounds and prevent trawling outside of the grounds.

 

The idea is to prevent the expansion of trawling into new areas until such time as the impacts of bottom trawling on the sea bed are better understood. Fishing grounds that have been extensively trawled over the years have been identified and if the fishing industry intends to open up new grounds, an impact assessment will have to be completed first.

 

I&J Operations Director, Suleiman Salie, said that the Alliance would help to promote sustainable and responsible fishing practices in the long term. "The collaborative initiatives that will be championed by the RFA will help I&J to ensure that the fisheries in which it participates are responsibly managed for the benefit of present and future generations," said Suleiman.

  

The goals of the RFA include promoting responsible fisheries practices, influencing policy on fishery governance, skills development to enable the implementation of an ecosystem approach, and facilitating high quality ecological, socio-economic and governance related research to inform the implementation of an EAF.

 

I&J offers an extensive range of branded frozen and chilled convenience foods

 

 

The roots of Irvin & Johnson Limited (I&J) are steeped in the history of South Africa's trawling industry. From its modest beginnings, Irvin & Johnson has established itself as South Africa's leading fishing company and multi-national processor and marketer of an extensive range of branded frozen and chilled convenience foods.

 

The founder members of Irvin & Johnson, Charles "Ocean" Johnson and George “Driver” Irvin began operating as a fishing company out of Cape Town harbor in the early 1900's. They began with only 2 trawlers, operating these vessels and their head office at the Clock Tower out of Cape Town harbor, now the V & A Waterfront. Their partnership was formalized on 16 November 1910 when the company Irvin & Johnson was first incorporated.

 

Irvin & Johnson's corporate Head Office is situated in Cape Town, in the suburb of Woodstock, where the company directs, co-ordinates and controls all of Irvin & Johnson's major group functions such as fishing, processing and marketing.

 

 

The company’s freezer trawlers have an onboard factory below deck to process the hake they catch. Processing involves cleaning, skinning, filleting and packaging the hake then freezing it down to -25°C, ready for sale on return to port.

 

I&J’s main target species is hake (Merluccius capensis and Merluccius paradoxus) found only in South African waters. Other species caught and landed are horse mackerel (Trachurus capensis), mackerel (Genypterus capensis) and monk (Lophius upsicephalus).

 

The wet fish vessels spend up to 9 days at sea and bring their fresh catch back to shore packed in ice in especially designed plastic bins. This packing ensures that Irvin & Johnson’s high standards of quality and freshness are upheld. After offloading, the fish is sent to Irvin & Johnson’s Woodstock plant for grading and processing for either the local or international markets.

 

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