New project to boost inland fish breeding launched

JA-ELA: A new project to breed fish in enclosures in inland water bodies to provide an annual harvest of 35,000 tons of fish for the local market has been launched by the National Aqua Culture Development Authority.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Felix Perera disclosed this at a ‘Jana Hamuwa’ at his Ministry office at Ja-Ela recently.

Perera said Sri Lanka needed nearly 500,000 metric tons of fish annually to cater to the local demand.

However the annual harvest from the sea was 300,000 tons. In addition a harvest of 35,000 tons was made annually from fresh water and brackish water reservoirs. This amounted to an annual shortage of nearly 200,000 tons. The Government has drawn attention towards meeting this shortage from the sea and inland reservoirs.

He said the Government under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has launched a ten-year plan to develop the fisheries industry.

Perera said in comparison to deep sea fishing which needed a large capital outlay inland fisheries needed a very minor capital expenditure.

A deep impact could be made on the price of fish from the consumers’ angle by breeding fish in enclosures of fresh and brackish water reservoirs.

While the price of sea fish ranged from Rs. 300 to Rs. 500 per kilo inland fish can be obtained by the consumer at a range of Rs. 100 to Rs. 200 per kilo.

The Minister also distributed a stock of nets and other fishing gear valued at Rs. 350,000 among 35 fishermen at this meeting.