Archives

Ten year fishery development project : Fair and equitable dividends among community - Minister

The ten year fisheries development project of the Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ministry is aimed to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of dividends earned from the utilisation of fishery resources among the fishing community said Minister Mahinda Wijesekara.

The Minister was addressing a series of meetings held in the Polonnaruwa district during an inspection tour of fresh water fishery management committees set up under the ten year fishery development plan recently.

The Minister said the ten year plan which will include a five year short term component and a ten year long term component will obtain the contribution of the fishing community and all other relevant parties for the fishery development activities while paying special attention to harvesting, processing, marketing and breeding of fish.

It will also create fruitful co-ordination between the political leadership, state officials and the fishing community for the betterment of the industry he said.

The Minister said a host of fishery organisations and committees are now being set up at national, regional and village level under the development plan to develop the fishing industry.

He said membership of Fishery Pier, anchorage and harbour committees will be restricted to fishermen utilising and living around such facility. These members will be actively involved in the decision making process and development activities connected to such facilities.

The Minister said the country is currently earning valuable foreign exchange through the export of "kelawalla", "prawns", "crabs", "cuttle fish" and other varieties. Today there is a big demand for fresh water fish in countries like US, UK and Japan. He hoped to cater to this demand with the help of Fisheries Pier Committees. This will help improve the living conditions of the fishermen in the rural sector.

A Ministry release said that during the Ministers tour 50,000 fingerlings were introduced to the Kawudulla, Minneriya tanks and the Parakrama Samudra, Maduru Oya and Pimburaththewa reservoirs under the National Aquaculture Development Authority's programme to introduce 200,000 fingerlings into fresh water tanks in Polonnaruwa District.

The Minister also provided funds for several fisheries community development projects in the district during the tour. These included Rs. 100,000 for a water supply programme at Kawudulla Fishery Village, Rs. 200,000 for two community centres at Minneriya and Giritale Fishery Villages, Rs. 700,000 for two electricity projects at the Sungavila and Thumbala Fishery Villages, Rs. 1.3 million for renovation of tanks in the above two villages, Rs. 100,000 for a security wall around a community centre at Kalahagala Fishery Village and Rs. 100,000 for renovating the Pimburaththewa wewa bund.

The Minister also decided to put up a 50 unit housing scheme at Dambala, a 260 unit housing scheme at Maduru Oya and a 114 unit housing scheme at Pimburaththewa for the fishery community.

Mr. Wijesekara was accompanied by Home Affairs and Local Government Minister Earl Gunasekara, Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ministry Additional Secretary A. N. R. Amaratunge, Director-General of Fisheries G. Piyasena, National Aquaculture Development Authority Vice Chairman P. S. L. Galappaththy and other officials during the tour.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager