Fish production recovers, but still low

Raja Waidyasekera, Tissamaharama special correspondent

TISSAMAHARAMA: The fish production has recovered when compered with the first 2 quarters of 2005, but was still low with a contraction of thirty one per cent when compared with the third quarter of 2004.

The average fish production for 2004 approximately to 3,000,000 metric tons according to statistics. Fish prises have also increased by 10.4 per cent reflecting the shortage.

The Sri Lankan fisheries industry which contributed nearly 2.5 per cent to the country's national income and 65 per cent to 70 per cent of the annual protein intake of the population has suffered a severe damage after the tsunami.

The fish production with first half of 2005 declined sharply by 64 per cent due to the disaster in December 2004.

The production in the marine and aqua culture fish production suffered from the white spot disease during the period which spread in prawn farms particularly in Puttalam district.

The prawn production reduced as all affected farms had to be closed and to refill with fresh water a spokesman for CFHC said.