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by ELMO LEONARD

Over 2,850 families engaged in fishing in four identified locations in the south are severely affected due to dwindling coastal fisheries resources.

These fisher folk, from Neelwella, Kottegoda, Gandara and Kapparathota, lack facilities to berth their fishing craft, especially the inboard motor type, and multiday craft. Fishermen of these areas, who own outdoor motor boats are known to hide their craft from the vagaries of the monsoon season.

Owing to insufficient funds to build harbours and anchorages, the Government would shortly invite foreign investors to build four fisheries harbours in the south, on the basis of BOT - Build Operate and Transfer, and/or BOOT- Build Own Operate and Transfer, officials of the Fisheries Ministry and Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (CFHC) said. The foreign investors would be required to come through Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI).

Fisheries harbours are planned in Neelwela, 188 miles south of Colombo, Kottegoda, 184 miles south of the capital city, Kapparathota and Gandara, 90 and 107 miles respectively, south of Colombo. CFHC will shortly complete conceptual plans for the proposed harbours. The foreign investors would be required to do a detailed study of the projects and draw up their plans, after which an environment impact assessment study would be made.

An average fisheries harbour would costs around Rs. 300 million. The proposed harbours are expected to include fish landing, or jetty and quay wall, fish auction rooms, vessel repair facilities, water, fuel and cold storage facilities, a CFHC spokesman said.

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