Move to expand ocean area
Shirley WIJESINGHE
COLOMBO: All measures have been finalised to acquire the full extent
of the country’s ocean area, Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
Felix Perera said.
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Ministers Felix Perera, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane, President
“Tharunyayata Hetak” Namal Rajapaksa, Fishery Harbours Chairman
Asanka Abeygunasekera, Southern Provincial Minister of
Agriculture, Livestocks and Lands Hemal Gunasekara and USAID
Mission Director Rebecca Cohn after the Mirissa Fishery Harbour
opening. Picture by Saman Sri Wedage |
Minister Perera said with the expansion, the new ocean limits would
extend to 23 times of the country’s geographical area .Presently this is
seven times the geographical area.
This will be done through the project Delineation of Outer Edge of
the Continental Margin(DEOCOM) coming under the Ministry of Fisheries
and Aquatic Resources.
The expansion would result in the present fish harvest being
multiplied several fold, the Minister said. He expressed this view at
the opening ceremony of rehabilitated and improved Mirissa Fishery
Harbour on Wednesday funded by USAID.
Total USAID contribution for rehabilitating and improving the Mirissa
Fishery Harbour after the 2004 Tsunami is US$ 4.1 million.
Minister Perera appealed to the fishing community in the area not to
pinpoint weaknesses of the harbour received with the generosity of USAID
but to try to be satisfied with what we have gained. He said all
shortcomings will be rectified within the coming next three weeks
through Ministry funding.
The present high rate of inflation in the country was due to high
expenditure on the various development projects and also the war
initiated to eliminate terrorism from the country while protecting the
democratic rights of the people.
Addressing the gathering President of the “Tharunyata Hetak” Namal
Rajapaksa said the project specially commenced to empower the youth of
the country while safeguarding their rights and ensuring
responsibilities on the motherland.
He appealed to the youths to join in the task of developing the
country and the assistance of parents to sustain them to meet the
requirements of the next generation. The success of the country ‘s
development plans rests on the leadership of the youth in the country.”
That was why I leading the “Tharunyata Hetak” youth mobilising drive”
he explained. Recalling his days at the village “Dhaham Pasel” Namal
Rajapaksa said there were some students who were his colleagues who were
now engaged in fishing industry.
The whole environment of the Mirissa village has been transformed due
to the rehabilitation of the harbour for the benefit of fishing
community. USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn also addressed the
gathering. |
