(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Necessary measures have been taken to locally produce high quality tuna fishing bait fishermen use for multi-day tuna fishing vessels.
The State Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economy Dilip Wedaarachchi has said that plans are underway to start the batch production of the tuna fishing bait in Puttalam District.
The amount expected to be spent on this project is Rs. 26 million and Minister Wedaarachchi handed over a check worth Rs. 13 million to the Lihiniya Sea Foods, a fresh chilled seafood processor and exporter of Tuna and other seafood, to commence the first phase of the project.
The State Minister presented the check for Rs. 13 million to the representative of Lihiniya Sea Foods on Monday at the 2018 investment forum held at Waters’ Edge in Battaramulla to enlighten the local and foreign investors on investment opportunities in aquaculture development.
The National Aquaculture Development Authority stated that annually over Rs. 1.1 billion is spent for importing tuna fishing bait and the local production of the fishing bait will retain that money within the country.
The first phase of the project to be commenced from Puttalam district targets to produce 135,000 kilogram of tuna bait annually.
National Aquaculture Development Authority Chairman Nuwan Prasanna Madavanarachchi, Director General Nimal Chandraratne and Director National Aquaculture Development Authority Ms. JM Asoka were also present.
