Sri Lanka is in the process of establishing a specialised investment zone in the Northern province, with a focus on catering to the unique needs of the fishing industry. This was revealed by Fisheries State Minister Piyal Nishantha at a press conference held yesterday, at the Presidential Media Centre, under the theme ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country’.
“… arrangements are underway to establish a dedicated investment zone for the fishing industry in the Northern province, a move that will welcome investments linked to the fisheries sector into Sri Lanka, while simultaneously generating employment opportunities for a substantial workforce,” Nishantha said. To coincide with this year’s World Fisheries Day, a series of programmes will be held from November 19 to 21, with a specific focus on the Northern province, led by the Jaffna district, Nishantha said.
“Within the Jaffna district, various services provided by agencies affiliated with the Fisheries Ministry, such as mobile fishing services, issuance of fishing ID cards, registration of fishing boats and resolution of communication issues concerning fishing signals, will be the centre of attention. Solutions will be delivered to these challenges directly within the local communities.”
“Additionally, a testing centre affiliated with the NARA Institute is set to be established in the Kilinochchi district. Plans are in place to release small fish into lakes, rivers and reservoirs within the province, particularly the Iranamadu Reservoir. This move aligns with the commitment to expanding fish harvest areas for multi-day fishing vessels through the introduction of a new FAD machine,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the minister highlighted the government’s commitment to the freshwater fishing industry, as evident in the distribution of approximately 54 million small fish across freshwater reservoirs nationwide. Additionally, there is a strong emphasis on projects aimed at boosting foreign exchange earnings, such as seaweed cultivation and sea leech breeding, he noted.