Aquaculture Division acts on post-tsunami fisheries sector recovery

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 September 2005, 08:43 GMT]
Fisheries and Aquaculture Department formed in the wake of tsunami has been co-ordinating fisheries related recovery programs in each district of the NorthEast. Headed by Mr.K.Sivarasa, Senior Advisor at Fisheries Department, Tromso, Norway, and advised by Jaffna University senior lectures specialized in fisheries sector the department employed 40 field assistants with fisheries diploma to complete a thorough survey of tsunami damages and the livelihood needs of the affected families in the NorthEast, officials said.

The new division which operates under the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), said its objectives are to:

• serve as a catalyst and facilitate necessary Fisheries related activities throughout NorthEast,
• cooperate closely with Fishermen’s organizations representing the fishing population,
• employ competent international and local fisheries consultants and staff to assess, analyze and propose fisheries related projects for implementation, and
• work in collaboration with government and private sectors and international and local UN and NGO organizations for effective and efficient implementation of projects and programmes.

TRO also appointed Fisheries Development officers in every Tsunami hit district in the NorthEast.

Officials said the organization has built six new boat yards in Vadamadchy east, Mullaitivu town, Eachilampattu (Trincomalee), Vakarai (Batticaloa) Thirukovil (Amparai) and in Barathipuram (Kilinochchi) to rapidly provide boats and other fishing equipment to fisher families who lost their belongings during tsunami,

The organization has delivered 440 boats, 102 Outboard motors, and 3560 nets in addition to providing nearly Rs 120m in loans to Fishermen societies in the NorthEast.

These activities are being carried out under TRO's "Back to sea Programme" within the framework of Rapid Rehabilitation and Development Services Programme for post Tsunami recovery, officials said.