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Tuesday, June 08, 2010 - 5.55 GMT |
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Task Force to upgrade fisheries in N&E |
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed a Task Force to upgrade the fisheries sector in the North and East and to improve the livelihood of resettled people.
The Task Force will study ways and means of upgrading the fisheries industry in the North and East and explore new avenues to make the industry commercially oriented.
"The Northern and Eastern regions, which were untapped for over two decades due to LTTE terrorism, have a huge potential for the fisheries industry including inland fisheries," said Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, Mr. Susantha Punchinilame, who has been appointed as Chairman of Task Force.
The government will provide a grant and fishing gear for those engaged in the industry. The Task Force will also explore the possibility of exploiting the ocean's resources to revive the tourism industry.
Mr. Punchinelame says Sri Lanka is exploiting the ocean only for fishing but the possibility of using the ocean resources in new industries such as pearl harvesting, medicinal sea weed cultivation, whale watching and diving, which are tourist oriented industries will also be explored by the Task Force in addition to the possibility of setting up 'sea worlds' similar to recreational activities in the United States, Japan and Singapore to attract more local and foreign tourists to the region.
Minister Punchinilame said that except for Ampara, the inland fisheries industry in other areas of the North and the East was neglected due to the conflict and the Task Force would make a study to revive the industry as a major income generator among resettled villagers.
The ornamental fish industry is another area that has a good local and international demand. The Task Force is keen on promoting this industry among resettled villagers.
The Ma-del industry, which was one of the prime industries in Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and Jaffna abandoned due to the conflict, will be revived after a lapse of 30 years.
The Asian Development Bank is keen on funding the industry and the fishermen will be provided fishing gear and other equipment. The Task Force is to submit its final report on June 28, Media Centre for National Development of Sri Lanka reported .
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