Nelson Mandela Bay's first fish farming zone is expected to be operational by August next year.
This is according to Coega Business Development Manager, Keith Du Plessis, who said the city's first aquaculture zone will consist of 440 hectares of higher and lower-lying areas to facilitate both freshwater and marine species.
He was speaking on Wednesday at a site visit of the Coega Industrial Zone by National Executive Committee members including Environment and Fisheries Deputy Minister, Maggie Sotju, and Public Enterprises Deputy Minister Phumulo Masuale.
Du Plessis said all the required Environmental Impact Assessments relating to the land-based aqua zone had been completed thus giving the go-ahead for phase one of the project.
He said this will consist of infrastructure development across the zone which will commence in the next two months.
"We have done all Environmental Impact Assessments now, so that means that companies wanting to come and farm on site don't have to do those EIA's themselves, saving them time and money."
"We will have a higher-lying zone which is about 30 to 50 metres above sea level which will focus on fish and aquaculture, and then the lower-lying area that is from sea level up to about 20 to 30 metres above sea level. This level will focus on the green aquaculture species which include abalone and some fin fish species."
