Rs 2,050 m to develop Northern fisheries industry

Uditha KUMARASINGHE

The Government under the Uthuru Vasantaya program will spend Rs.2,050 million to rebuild the fisheries industry in the North which was severely affected due to terrorism.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Felix Perera said it has been estimated that around Rs.2,050 million has to be spent to develop the fisheries activities in the North under the short term and mid term programs formulated by the Ministry in keeping with Uthuru Vasanthaya.

Rs.880 million is required to implement the short term activities of this program while Rs.1170 million has to be spent to implement the proposed mid-term activities to develop the fisheries industry in the North.

In order to implement the short term activities of this program, a re-allocation will be made from the funds allocated to the Fisheries Ministry for 2009.

The Government through this accelerated program intends to assist nearly 45,145 displaced fishermen in the North from Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya districts to re-start their livelihood.

Arrangements have also been made to rebuild the fisheries infrastructure facilities which were destroyed owing to terrorist activities and the tsunami.

The Government has also lifted the ban imposed on the outboard motor vessels.

Permission has been granted to fishermen to use 15 horse power outboard engines. Over 219 Fishery Societies have been established in the province.

In addition, 54 major and medium scale tanks and 1500 small scale reservoirs are situated in the Northern province. In 1983, the total fish harvest of Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Jaffna and Mannar districts stood at 75,740 metric tons.

This dropped to 13,840 metric tons last year due to terrorism. Therefore the Ministry has formulated plans to increase the fish production in the North.