40M Shrimp Fingerlings to be released

By Paneetha Ameresekere

The Government plans to release 40 million shrimp fingerlings, bred at the National Aquaculture Development Authority’s (NAQDA’s) Freshwater Prawn Breeding Centre, Kahandamodera, Hambantota, islandwide, this year.

This was revealed by State Fishery Minister Kanchana Wijesekera when he visited the Centre on Sunday (17).   Wijesekera added that laws would be enacted to make shrimp farming easier.

He further said that like promoting shrimp cultivation, which is high in foreign exchange earnings, NAQDA is also taking steps to promote the cultivation of other foreign exchange earning marine resources such as milk fish, sea cucumber and crab.

He also said that NAQDA, together with allied agencies, plans to rollout the propagation of healthy fingerlings required by the industry, technology transfer, land, grants, concessional credit, advice and supervision to those engaged in the inland fishery industry.