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| Sunday, 17 February 2002 |
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Foreign fishermen to fish for us by Elmo Leonard Foreign investors will be called to enter into collaboration ventures with the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation (CFC) for the purpose of catching fish, and selling the catch back to CFC. This move by the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources is meant to increase the quantity of fish available to the Sri Lankan population. Sri Lanka's annual fish harvest is estimated at 300,000 tonnes, according to Fisheries Ministry statistics. Less than two per cent of this catch is marketed by the CFC, through its marketing network. Thus, the calling of foreign investors is also intended to make available more fish to CFC outlets. Sri Lanka has only 1,800 multiday fishing craft, while the nation's fleet continues to be largely traditional. Sri Lanka's annual expenditure exceeds Rs 5 billion to import canned, and dry fish. The conditions under which the foreign investors would be allowed to operate here, is yet to be worked out. Some Fisheries Ministry officials expect the conditions to be flexible and negotiable with the Fisheries Ministry. It is expected that the foreign investors would have to bring in their fishing craft and employ Sri Lankan fishermen. Currently five foreign companies, from China, Taiwan and Malaysia operate from the Colombo's Mutwal fisheries harbour, and land their catch at the Colombo, Galle and the Beruwela fisheries harbours. These foreign owned boats are expected to fish 100 miles off the island's coasts. However, Sri Lankan fishing companies are not pleased with the fishing activities of these companies, alleging that they catch close to the shore. "The only fish they sell to Sri Lanka is what they cannot export. They take up space which is denied to us at the Mutwal fisheries harbour," a big exporter said. |
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