Regional aquaculture promotion meet
Chamikara WEERASINGHE
Key fisheries policy makers and planners from 18 countries in the
Southeast Asia- Pacific Region yesterday met at Hilton Colombo to
discuss the merits of regional aquaculture and promotion ahead of the
Asian Regional Ministerial Meeting on Aquaculture for Food Security,
Nutrition and Economic Development to be held on July 28 and 29.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will inaugurate the ministerial meeting
tomorrow, which will be attended by Fisheries Ministers from major
fishing nations, including Thailand, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh,
Philippines, Laos, China, Australia, Cambodia,Malaysia,Vietnam and New
Zealand.
The meeting will conclude with the signing of what is called the
'Colombo Declaration' which will be the criteria for development of the
aquaculture industry in the South Asian region, said Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources Development Ministry Secretary Dr Damitha De Soyza.
"The meetings today and tomorrow are held with the policy makers to
facilitate the Colombo Declaration which will provide guidelines for
initiatives aimed at developing aquaculture industry in the region," she
explained.
The meeting will have the participation of the industry and
international agencies for commercial fisheries.
She said they as policy makers and planners will be working to
advance the process of facilitation to provide the necessary background
for making the 'declaration', which will be issued at the end of the
Ministerial Meeting on Friday (29).
The meeting is expected to strengthen regional integration, which
will be paramount if we seek to set the development of local aquaculture
industry on a fast track.
"We have discussed proposals that aim to do this through initiatives
to coordinate efforts in the region," she said.
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