Thursday, 19 September 2013 00:00
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Basil chairs meeting to resolve problems of multi-day trawler owners
Priority will be given to local fishermen in selling tuna fish to recognised export companies, according to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa. He said this at a meeting held to discuss problems multi-day trawler owners are facing at the Finance Ministry Auditorium recently.
The Minister Rajapaksa added that the Government will provide multi-day trawler owners with the opportunity of getting a good price when grading high quality fresh tuna fish, since there is a big demand for Sri Lanka tuna in the world market.
He also said that steps will be taken to construct jetties in coastal areas for anchoring trawlers and to reduce taxes on fishing nets and other implements for boosting the fishing industry in accordance with the Mahinda Chinthana vision. Participating in the discussion was Secretary to the Finance and Economic Development Ministries Dr. P.B. Jayasundera and other senior Government Officials.
Representatives of multi-day trawler owners stressed the need for getting the best prices for tuna fish, reducing taxes on fishing implements, construction of jetties and using modern technology to develop the industry in an environment-friendly manner.
Security forces have been instructed to conduct their searches of multi-day trawlers without unnecessarily delaying the vessels.
Attention was also focused on using information technology to daily check tuna export prices and also the quantity of fish that should be transported by each vessel before they reach land.
Represented at the discussion were the Tuna Fish Exporters Association, Multi-day Trawler Owners Association, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ministry, Finance Ministry and the Economic Development Ministry.
