Seaweed farming project in Jaffna launched

Monday, 22 April 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

“The launching of the seaweed farming project covering the entire coastal area of Jaffna peninsula is extremely significant to the protection of the country’s sea resources and for the expansion of fishing activities in the area,” Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Douglas Devananda stated.

The Minister was addressing a batch of graduate trainees who were absorbed into State service at a Coastal Environment Protection Programme event held at Jaffna District Secretariat recently.

Speaking further, the Minister said that the project initially would cover 292km of the northern coast and was a step in the right direction taken to protect and conserve the Northern coast which was under constant threat due to destruction of mangrove vegetation, coral reef and other natural resources and in preventing sea erosion.

He also said that the consequences of not taking these steps would prove to be disastrous to fishing; the main livelihood of the inhabitants in these areas as well as to the beauty and splendour of the vast stretches of golden sea beaches in the north.

The Minister requested the trainees to extend their full support to the Divisional Secretaries in implementing the coastal protection program.