Satellite technology to develop fisheries sector

By Charmaine FERNANDO

Sri Lanka netted in 300,000 metric tons of fishery resources last year as against a consumption demand of 500,000 metric tons per year. The balance 210,000 metric tons cost us an annual US $ 117 million foreign exchange on frozen and tinned fish imports. The way forward is to utilize latest technology in off-shore fishery, said Nihal Samarappuli, Executive Director -Research and Policy, BOI at an awareness seminar for off-shore fishery sector, in Negombo recently. As an island nation, there is more provision to exploit ocean resources. Off-shore fishery has potential for further growth. Although a 70% of population are involved in agriculture, 15% of GDP is spent on milk, sugar, flour and fish imports, he said. Highlighting the importance of creating awareness among off-shore fishery sector on the use of modern technology, the benefits of a bigger fish harvest, will not only enhance one's business profitability but will benefit the country immensely, as a whole. The use of state-of-the-art technology is imperative to achieve targets outlined by the Ten Year (2007 - 2016) Fishery Development Plan currently being implemented by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, it was said.

Expansion of the number of multi-day fishing fleets will be facilitated, by providing specially designed, efficiency enhanced offshore-vessels at purse-easy prices. These boats will be equipped with provision for satellite and other new technologies and will hold larger storage facilities for multi-day catch. The boat owners and skippers will also experience the

high-tech facilities, minimising the search and tracking highly migratory off-shore fishery resources thereby cutting costs drastically, enhancing the catch per unit of effort (CPUE), said J. K. Rajapaksha, Research Officer, Oceanography, NARA.

Introduction of on-board fish processing for producing value-added products for export was explained. Awareness was increased on navigation for successful fishing operations and marine safety, he said.

The need to be educated on the use of fishery forecasting systems and learning the art of handling modern marine equipment were spotlighted as essential components of fishery sector progress towards achieving goals, both national and business-related, he said.

There will be many seminars of this nature to feel the pulse of the fisher boat owners and skippers, it was stated. Around fifty were in attendance at the seminar. The need to have the presence of off-shore fishing community at these seminars were also discussed. The boat owners and skippers aired their grievances mainly on the lack of funding and assistance.

BOI officials encouraged the fishery sector business people to band up into small groups to pool funds to the value of 7.5 million to become BOI registered companies. I. Abeyratne, the Managing Director of Thulalah Fisheries (Pvt) Ltd, a BOI registered company, brought out his success story to inspire the attendees on real-life adventures of entrepreneurship which has expanded his business into many fishery-related subsidiaries, taking him places, today.

Fisheries come under the agriculture sector and it was disclosed that the fishery community too can access newly legalized BOI facilities of a 15 year tax holiday and other enhanced benefits open to any agriculture related industry as a stimulus to the "Api Wawamu - Rata Nagamu" agri-drive of the Government.