Fisheries harbours, anchorages construction over by 2013 - Minister

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The construction of fisheries harbours and anchorages which are useful to the fisheries industry will be completed by 2013. Harbours and anchorages will be provided vessels, equipment and infrastructure facilities in the near future,said Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne.

"Arrangements are underway to begin the construction of Mannar and Gandara fisheries harbours. It will be completed by next year," he said speaking at the opening ceremony of the expanded Moratuwa-Panadura Fishery harbour's southern breakwater yesterday.

The Panadura fisheries harbour was damaged by the 2004 tsunami. It was reconstructed with Chinese financial assistance. As a first step of this project the Peoples Republic of China had allocated Rs 300 million to construct the southern breakwater of the Moratuwa-Panadura Fisheries harbour.

The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry will open the Dikowita fisheries harbour in the near future. The Mutwal fisheries harbour will be closed after the construction of the Colombo South fisheries harbor is completed, the minister said.

"The fisheries sector is Sri Lanka's third most important contributor to economic growth. It is second only to agriculture and tourism. The fisheries industry will become the first contributor to the Sri Lankan economy within the next two years. I hope to provide a 50 percent contribution to Sri Lanka's economy in 2013. We hope to provide 24 percent contribution by the end of this year," Senaratne said.

He said that the Cabinet approved the Fisheries Technical Act yesterday.

Minor Small Export Crop Promotion Minister Reginald Cooray, People's Republic of China Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yang Xiuping, First Secretary of China Embassy Sun Ledong, Ceylon Fishery Harbour Co-operations Chairman Amal Senadhilankara and Managing Director Lal Samarasinghe also participated.