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With the New Year well under way and as the team begins to put plans into action for the season ahead we thought it would be good to bring you up to date with some changes in the company structure as well as some tangible changes on the river.
As the company has grown and matured over recent years, the need for the Managing Director to spend the majority of time based in Murmansk has become ever more apparent. Ponoi River Co. is therefore delighted to announce that Steve Estella from Argentina will take over as Managing Director and will effectively run the company starting from 1st February 2008.
Steve comes to Ponoi River Co eminently qualified. He worked as a senior guide and caretaker manager at Ryabaga in 1998 and 1999. Thereafter he was the manager of the most famous of all Rio Grande sea- trout lodges, Kau Tapen Lodge, later becoming Operations Director for all the properties owned by Nervous Waters. Having worked with Frontiers and known the new owner of Ponoi River Co for some years, he has always kept up with the progress of our operations and has always been a friend and ally to the company. We wish Steve great success and support in his new role in Murmansk.
Tarquin Millington-Drake will remain intricately involved in the operations on the river and will support Ponoi River Co as Senior Advisor on behalf of Frontiers. He will be on the river pre, during and post season as always and though not a direct employee remains very much part of the senior team and will continue to be so.
After several years of working for Frontiers Will Casella has formally joined Ponoi River Co. and will also continue in his role as Manager of the Ryabaga camp and Operations Manager of the day to day operations on the river.
With the exception of Chris, all the Ponoi staff will be back on the river next year. We firmly believe that Steve, Tarquin and Will Casella will take the Ponoi operation to a new level over the coming seasons.
The greatest difference guests will notice this coming season is the use of the new hovercraft, which has now been delivered. The team were trained in the autumn and will have further training pre-season. Each day the hovercraft will be able to transport six guests, their guides and equipment down river to the lowest of the three beats. It will remain there unless it has other duties to perform that day. The cabin will be warm and comfortable and the craft will have rod racks to stow the rods so the days of having to put up and down rods are perhaps over. The Mi-2 helicopter will remain in camp for other duties and for emergency use.
Our VIP house, which guests will have noticed being built on the hill in the distance from Ryabaga, will be completed mid-season. It will be used for specific corporate needs of the company from time to time. When not used, Ryabaga camp will be able to use it for their own entertainment. The view of the bend of the river is quite wonderful and pre-dinner drinks 'with a view' each week will certainly be on the cards. Though this building has a serious purpose for the well-being of the company, none of its activities will affect the quality of service, operations or fishing at Ryabaga at all. With the full extent of the Ponoi River Co beats being restored in 2006 there is no cause for concern at all. The use of the house also means that the Purnache Camp (being upgraded this coming season) can be used fully in 2009 providing a unique experience for just four rods.
On the scientific front we are continuing our good work and it continues to be recognised on an international level. Both the company and Sergei Prusov and his bosses at PINRO have been working with Orri Vigfusson and the Norwegian Government to reduce coastal netting in Finmark which should help Ponoi runs further. Our tagging programme continues as will our kelt tagging programme.
In summary, we have been busy focusing on not only the exciting season ahead but also the long-term future for the river. On behalf of the whole team we look forward to welcoming you to Ryabaga, Brevyeni and Purnache next season.
Ponoi River Co.
See below for current Ponoi availability.
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