Sharp increase in foreign fishing vessels at Mutwal fisheries Harbour

by Elmo Leonard

There is a sharp increase in foreign fishing vessels calling at the Mutwal Fisheries Harbour from May, consequent to the scrapping of the Rs. 20 per kilo (Rs. 103 per US dollar) duty on tuna landings, here.

This move, suggested by the Sea Food Exporters' Association of Sri Lanka (SFEASL) to the fisheries ministry, was intended to make the island competitive as a tuna landing centre. "It was a vital decision, taken" SFEASL president, Roshan Fernando said.

Some of these foreign fishing companies are big names in the trade. The catch of tuna brought here, are made on the tuna international migratory routes, adjacent to the EEZs of Madagascar, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and in the Arabian Sea. The fish is processed in the fisheries harbours and airfreighted, Fernando said.

Most companies calling are from Thailand, Indonesia, and Taiwan and the larger part of tuna exports meet the needs of the Sashimi market in Japan. In the event of bypassing Sri Lanka, these exporters will have to reach the Pulau Pinang Port in Malaysia or Pucket Thailand or an Indonesian fisheries harbour, director, Department of Fisheries in Sri Lanka, G. Piyasena said. It is known that these countries charge no landing fee.

The second grade of exports reach the EU countries and the third grade is sold to the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation. Foreign fishing companies entering local fisheries harbours are expected to sell 25 percent of their catch to the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation (CFC).

The increased quantities of fish thus obtained by CFC go a long way to feed the local market, while the South West Monsoon is on and fisheries in the north and east is restricted due to clashes between the Tamil Tigers and the government forces, Piyasena said.

Foreign vessels pay $250 each in US dollars, and each time they call, a new permit is issued, as directed by the Minister of Fisheries, Felix Perera. When in October 2005, the landing of fish by foreign vessels was reduced from Rs. 20 per kilo to Rs. 15 per kilo the entry of tuna and bill fish varieties into the local harbours more than doubled, according to the fisheries ministry statistics.

The reduction of landing charges in October last year, saw 140 foreign vessels obtain landing permits issued by the Ministry of Fisheries for 2005, against 120 during 2004, fishery statistician and head - statistics unit, Ministry of Fisheries, J. A. D. B. Jayasooriya said.

Backed by the reduction on landing charges and notwithstanding the Asian tsunami, Sri Lanka's exports of fish and fisheries products for 2005 reached $106 million with a quantity of 15,985 tonnes, according to fisheries ministry statistics. In 2004 exports totalled $94 million with 13,681 tonnes foreign sales, according to fisheries ministry statistics.

In 2005, Sri Lanka's exports of tuna made up 10,960 tonnes valued at $63 million mainly to Japan's Sashimi market, France, the Netherlands, UK, Namibia and USA. In 2004, the quantity was 8,017 tonnes valued at $44 million.

Exports of crabs in 2005 made up 1012 tonnes bringing in $3.6 million, mainly to Hong Kong, India, Maldives and USA.

Berch de Mer or sea cucumber exports in 2005 were 258 tonnes valued at $3.5 million, mainly to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.

There was a drop in shark fin exports in 2005, with 74 tonnes valued at $1.7 million, compared to 110 tonnes in 2004 which brought in $3.4 million. This drop is due to the loss of multiday fishing craft to the Asian tsunami. Shark fins are purchased by Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Lobster exports made up 183 tonnes in 2005 bringing in $2.7 million in 2004. Lobsters are chilled in saw dust, bringing the lobster into hibernation.