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Six year plan for fisheries sector

by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi

The Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ministry will draw up a comprehensive six year plan for the fishing sector under the Government's 100 days programme.

It will include measures to encourage more local and foreign investors to invest in this sector and improve infrastructure facilities such as providing more anchorages.

Minister Mahinda Wijesekera has also instructed Ministry officials to explore the possibility of using 10 long range trawlers to achieve a rapid development in the sector, a Ministry official told the Daily News yesterday.

Although, there are 400 fishing vessels engaged at present in the international waters close to Sri Lankan waters, only 100 of them were bringing an income to Sri Lanka, the official said.

The Minister also directed the completion of work on five anchorages at Weligama, Nupe, Gandara, Kottegoda and Nilwella this year. He stressed that 25 new anchorages should be built in the Southern Province.

Sri Lanka's territorial waters are twenty three times larger than total land extent. However our fishermen reap only 50 percent of country's fish harvest due to non-availability of latest technology in use by developed countries. the Minister pointed out.

The Ministry also plans to impose restrictions on import of canned fish, dried fish and allied products by year 2002 with a view to provide better prices for local harvests of the sea. 

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