(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ministry will develop, conserve and manage Sri Lanka’s fisheries and aquatic resources towards a sustainable national fisheries policy.
The Norwegian Government will provide technology and basic facilities for this. The Ministry in a press release stated that there was no national policy in place with regard to the conservation of aquatic resources.
Minister Mahinda Amaraweera directed the Ministry to formulate a sustainable national policy and focus on promoting methods for management and conservation of resources, take initiatives to make public aware of conservation of resources, introduce conservation strategies to protect and conserve aquatic life and implement new laws to ensure protection of resources.
Norway is one of the countries that implement an effective fisheries policy and management. Minister Amaraweera requested Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg to extend their support when she visited Sri Lanka last year. The Norwegian Government sent a group of fisheries experts to Sri Lanka following the request. Norwegian experts are engaged with the Sri Lankan officials in formulating a sustainable fisheries policy.