Boost for fishing industry
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) - Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) funded US$ 4.9 million project to improve
fish landing centres will be completed this month with the
rehabilitation of 40 fish landing centres in 13 coastal districts
including those in the recently liberated North and East.
The project also included building the new fisheries office in
Mullaitivu; delivery of training and provision of equipment to
strengthen the capacity of the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation and
Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to support co-ordination
of the rehabilitation and management of the landing sites; and delivery
of training and equipment to promote community participation in fish
landing site management.
The key achievements of the project include buildings and other
facilities such as access roads, jetty, barge, ice storage, engine
storage rooms, net mending areas, community halls, fish auction sheds
and fish market stalls which have been built based on a comprehensive
needs assessment to support fishing communities' livelihoods.
The project has run over a three-year period, executed by the
Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, implemented by the FAO in
association with the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation supported by
the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The project will be
completed this month.
A workshop in this regard was held on September 8 and 9 in the
presence of Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
Development as the Chief Guest, officials of the Ministry of Fisheries
and Aquatic Resources Development, the head of the Department of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation,
officials from the FAO and representatives of the Canadian High
Commission in Sri Lanka.
The project has supported the formulation of business plans to assist
community organisations to raise adequate funds to meet the cost of
operation and maintenance and to use surplus funds to uplift the
socio-economic standards of the fishing population.
The objectives of the terminal workshop were to present the
achievements and lessons learnt and to agree on an exit strategy for the
project while ensuring community participation in sustainable management
of the facilities provided.
It was agreed that there was the need to develop a national policy
for development and management of fish landing centres through
co-management principles involving the Department of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources, Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation and Fisheries
Community Organisations.
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