Issues faced by freshwater aquaculture taken up in Parliament

Thursday, 22 March 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

The National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka (NAQDA) has identiﬁed perennial and seasonal reservoirs appropriative for freshwater aquaculture in Sri Lanka.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Development, freshwater ﬁsh farming is being carried out having identiﬁed lands suitable for the establishment of ponds and, such lands will continue to be identiﬁed and freshwater farming be further promoted.

Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms and the Chief Government Whip Gayantha Karunatileka responding to a question for oral answer raised by UNP MP Ashoka Priyantha stated that special locations in the North-Western province suitable for freshwater ﬁsheries is already identified and in certain cases already initiated.

“The requirement of ﬁsh ﬁngerling is 300 million which is needed for culture based ﬁsheries development in the entire number of reservoirs technically identiﬁed for freshwater ﬁsheries in Sri Lanka. The current production of ﬁsh ﬁngerling is nearly 82 million. Establishment of new hatcheries and expansion of current hatcheries is underway with a view to increasing the ﬁngerling production up to 150 million by the year 2020. Accordingly, a new hatchery in Kal Arawa for the increase of freshwater prawn in Trincomalee District and another new hatchery in Udawalawa have already been completed establishment. Further, a new aquaculture breeding center is underway in Sewanapityta, Polonnaruwa,” Minister explained.

“Also, Muruthawela aquaculture development centre has been re-acquired by NAQDA and brought into effect while measures have been taken to expand other aquaculture development centres which are currently in operation namely Kalawewa, Inginiyagala and Udawalawa. Apart from that, a marine ﬁsh breeding centre has been established in Batticaloa District for the promotion of aquaculture in coastal areas. Within the past three years, Rs. 1494.29 million has been utilised for the expansion and new establishment of freshwater ﬁsh breeding centres and, a sum of Rs. 1,015 million has been allocated in this year for the same purpose. Accordingly, measures are being taken to gain a 263,200 metric ton ﬁsh harvest by the year 2025, by stocking 150 million of ﬁsh ﬁngerlings by the year 2020 and another 150 million of ﬁngerlings by the year 2025,” he added.