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The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry has launched a project under the patronage of Minister Mahinda Amaraweera to manufacture vessels suitable for deep sea fishing in international waters.
Under the project, the state-owned Cey-Nor Foundation factory in Mattakkuliya will manufacture vessels that are 55 feet long aiming at a rich fish catch off international waters. The main focus of this 55’ multi-day boat design is to reduce the post-harvest loss.
The Cey-Nor Foundation ceremonially began building the first boat of their newest design on 27 July.
Currently, small scale fishing boats less than 41 feet in length can be operated for fishing only up to 24 nautical miles in Sri Lankan seas. For fishing in international waters the vessels need to be longer than 55 feet.
The existing fleet comprises 47,000 small boats and nearly 5,000 boats of 55-feet length vessels, out of which only 3000 are engaged in fishing in international waters. These boats are capable of catching a very limited harvest, and 40 percent of their harvest gets wasted due to post harvest losses caused by the unavailability of cold rooms.
The request made by Minister Amaraweera regarding the project of manufacturing fishing vessels larger than 55ft in length has received the approval of the Cabinet. Accordingly, the manufacture of 10 such fishing vessels and the upgrading of another 100 fishing began on 27 July.
The Government is analysing the possibility of having State and private combined administration in the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation (CFC), Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday.
Amaraweera statedthe relevant Cabinet paper to transfer half ownership to a private organisationwould be sent for Cabinet approval as soon as possible. Earlier he said the Government would announce the decision regarding the ownership of CFC within this week.
