President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has stated that the Government aims to transform the fisheries sector from a subsistence-based livelihood into a commercial industry and is ready to provide the necessary facilities to support new investment. He instructed officials to prepare and submit structured plans for new programmes to develop the sector
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The President emphasised that these plans should aim both to increase fish production and improve the incomes of fishing communities.
He made these remarks while participating in a discussion on the 2027 Budget proposals relating to the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, held at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (27).
The discussion also focused on measures proposed by the Ministry of Fisheries to make fish products available to consumers at reasonable and affordable prices, with the aim of reducing the cost of living.
The current state of the fisheries industry, the operations of the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation, the functioning of the Peliyagoda Central Fish Market, issues arising there and the infrastructure facilities required were also discussed.
Particular attention was given to the need to introduce technologically advanced vessels to promote deep-sea fishing. The possibility of designing and implementing a programme to attract private-sector participation in this initiative was also discussed.
The President also focused on the development of sustainable coastal infrastructure and green port development projects.
It was revealed at the meeting that Sri Lanka’s annual fish production is close to 400,000 metric tonnes, of which approximately 40% is lost through post-harvest wastage. Measures to minimise these losses were also discussed.
The President reviewed the financial assistance programmes currently in place to support and promote the fisheries industry and considered the difficulties encountered in implementing fisheries loan schemes. Noting that fisheries differ from other industries, he instructed officials of the Ministry of Finance to establish specific criteria for the sector when formulating loan schemes.
The promotion of aquaculture, the establishment of new centres for the sector and its current status were also discussed. The President further instructed officials to discuss and resolve land-related issues affecting freshwater fisheries with the Mahaweli Authority.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Deputy Minister Rathna Gamage, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Dr Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa and officials from the two ministries.
