150 boats for affected fishermen

The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ministry has planned to provide all fishermen who lost their boats in the tsunami disaster alternative boats under a program to rebuild the fisheries sector initiated by Minister Chandrasena Wijesighe.

A stock of 150 boats valued at over Rs. 6.3 million were scheduled to be distributed among a group of affected fishermen under this program at Wellaboda, Balapitiya yesterday (April 20), said the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ministry in a press release issued yesterday.

The release said the fisheries industry was the worst affected sector in this country from the tsunami tidal waves. About 15,300 fishing boats were completely destroyed in the tsunami while another 22,800 boats were partially damaged.

A program to repair partially damaged boats launched immediately after the calamity is now progressing smoothly and a large number of boats have already been repaired free of charge under it.

Since it was impractical to build all the new boats needed to replace the total number completely destroyed at once, the Ministry first took steps to provide entitlement certificates to all fishermen deserving new boats. All fishermen who have been awarded entitlement certificates will receive new boats free of charge in the near future as construction of these boats is progressing at a rapid pace through Cey-Nor Foundation and private institutions.