Life jackets for fishermen soon
Shirley Wijesinghe
Wearing life safety jackets will be made compulsory for fishermen and
the related regulations will be drawn up shortly, said Minister of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Felix Perera.
He was addressing the gathering at the opening ceremony of
rehabilitated and improved Puranawella Fishery Harbour on Friday.
An internationally recognized identity card will be issued to
overcome the difficulties faced by them in sudden natural disasters as
well as for statistical requirements too, Minister Perera added.
The Puranawella Fishery Harbour was rehabilitated and improved by the
funds facilitated by USAID at a total cost of US$ 5.8 million. With the
completion of Puranawella Fishery Harbour rehabilitation which was
affected by the tsunami, more than 11,000 families will benefit.
Minister Perera said more than 85 per cent of the Fishery Harbours of
the country were destroyed by the tsunami in 2004. The Fisheries
industry was abandoned by the fishermen. But the Government introduced
various beneficiary schemes for the fishermen, Minister Perera said.
However the Government could defeat all challenges and hardships
caused by the 2004 tsunami and was able to increase the fish harvest by
200 per cent.
Explaining how the war affected the fishery industry, Minster Perera
said almost two thirds of the coastal belt of the country was under the
threat of LTTE terrorists and no fishing has been possible for two
decades.
But under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa this costal
belt has been mostly cleared. The remaining coastal area will be opened
for fishing shortly, the Minister pledged.
“South Asian Governments have been able to come to a consensus on
terrorism at the recent SAARC Summit,” the Minister said. Addressing the
gathering USA Ambassador Robert O Blake said the citizens of US always
supported the people of Sri Lanka, sharing the grief and trauma with Sri
Lankans affected by the Tsunami 2004.
He also recalled that more than 100 projects are being continued in
Sri Lanka with the funds provided by American citizens.
Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation Chairman Asanka Abeygunasekera
also addressed the ceremony. |
