Fisheries Ministry launches several programs to increase fish production

Wednesday, 11 October 2017 00:00 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development has launched several programs tomorrow to increase fish Production in line with the Fisheries Day of the National Food Production Week.

October 10th was designated as the Fisheries Day of the National Food Production Week campaign launched on October 6th by the President Maithripala Sirisena.

Accordingly, under the direction of Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera a number of programs will be launched with the objective of raising fish production in the near future.

Fisheries Day Main program is scheduled to be inaugurated in Kallarawa, Trincomalee. The fresh water prawn breeding center in Kallarawa built at a cost of 200 million rupees will be opened at the occasion. A housing project in Sagarapura for the fisher folk who don’t have permanent houses will also be launched. The modernized fish sales center of Ceylon Fisheries Corporation in Trincomalee was opened.

Apart from this, it is also planned to implement several other projects under the National Food Production Campaign under the patronage of Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, State Minister Dilip Wedaarachchi, Governor of the Eastern Province, Rohitha Bogollagama, and the Secretary to the Ministry Mangalika Adikari. These programs include setting up fish ponds at a cost of Rs. 50 million in estates in order to increase the nutrition level of estate workers, launching six aquaculture projects in several parts of the country at a cost of Rs. 65 million, and release of one million fish fingerlings to reservoirs for breeding purposes. In addition, the Ministry will provide fishing nets, boats and equipment for 5,600 fisher families and tablets to 2,328 multi-day fishing vessels for a responsible fishing industry. Minister Amaraweera said steps have been taken to implement many programs such as this to uplift the fisheries community and the industry.

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