More relief for fishermen in Budget 2018

The government is ready to provide more facilities and relief for the fishery community from the Budget 2018, enabling them to increase their income using modern technologies, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.

A cabinet paper has also been submitted seeking approval to include a proposal on the implementation of mechanism to purchase fishing vessels with modern technology and also to give relief to for fishery community in the 2018 Budget Proposals, the Minister said.

The Minister was participating at the launch of two new fishing vessels equipped with latest facilities by Richwin Ceylon Fisheries on Thursday at Dikowita Fishery Harbour.

"Even though we inherit a sea eight times larger than the land area, 116 lagoons and 10,000 reservoirs in the country, we have become incapable of catching fish adequate for domestic consumption due to the absence of latest technology by our fishermen.As a result of that, imported fish and canned fish brought here last year was 112,000 metric tonnes,the Minister said.

"With the introduction of fishing vessels equipped with modern technologies we will be able to reduce post harvest losses, he said.Around 40 percent of the fish harvest cannot be used for consumption due to the post harvest losses," he added.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Deputy Minister Dilip Wedaarachchi also participated.

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