The Hon. Rathna Gamage - Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources

¶ 01 Hon. Chairman, it is my privilege to open for the Government on the Heads of the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources. Fisheries, along with agriculture, MSMEs, IT, and tourism, is a key pillar of our productive economy. Since President Anura Dissanayake assumed office, clear commitments have been made to uplift fisheries.

¶ 02 Within the first ten days, fuel relief for the agriculture and fisheries sectors was initiated. This continues, and further measures will be discussed with the President and Minister.

¶ 03 We are strengthening production, livelihoods of fisher families, national protein supply, and foreign exchange earnings. Fisheries’ contribution to GDP declined from 2.3% in 2000 to about 1%. Under our five-year plan, we aim to raise this again. The 2025 Budget allocates Rs. 11.44 billion to fisheries (up from Rs. 7 billion), plus Rs. 3 billion specifically for fuel relief—total around Rs. 14.44 billion. Already Rs. 863 million in fuel relief has been disbursed. Additional steps will follow.

¶ 04 We convened provincial fisheries secretaries nationwide and have created a new administrative framework aligning central and provincial roles, with district-level fisheries coordinating committees chaired with participation of the Minister, Ministry Secretary, DGs and agency heads (NAQDA, NARA, Cey-Nor, North Sea Ltd., CFHC, Department of Fisheries). This integrated mechanism is being rolled out across all districts.

¶ 05 Contrary to the claim that no funds are set aside for fisher families, we have specific programs to raise household incomes. WHO recommends 65g per capita daily fish consumption; Sri Lanka’s is 36.858g. Our annual harvest capacity is about 521,000 MT, but effective availability is about 291,000 MT due to roughly 40% post-harvest losses. Our agencies are working on technology to reduce these losses—Cey-Nor is developing hybrid boats and hybrid freezers.

¶ 06 Ice prices have increased and ice makers wield monopolies in some harbours. We have informed them that such monopolies will be dismantled. CFHC will introduce ice production across all harbours as existing concession agreements lapse; exploitative pricing will end.

¶ 07 On fuel: claims of boats taking 30,000 litres are inaccurate; our largest tank boats carry up to about 16,000 litres. We are providing a Rs. 25 per litre subsidy across vessel categories—tank boats (multi-day), one-day boats, outboards, and traditional mechanized craft—capped at Rs. 300,000 per trip for multi-day, and proportionate caps for smaller craft. Rs. 863 million has already been disbursed; previously, many boats were laid up, hence the President prioritized this relief.

¶ 08 Harbour issues: many facilities were built without proper feasibility studies—Hikkaduwa, Ambalangoda, Panadura, Kirinda suffer from siltation and poor breakwater siting. We are now compelled to rectify these with dredging and redesign. We will expand 23 fisheries harbours. Assistance from India has been received for Oluvil Harbour; significant allocations are provided for the North—where about 25% of fishers live (Kilinochchi, Mannar, Jaffna, Mullaitivu)—to revive long-neglected fisheries.

¶ 09 Distribution: complaints of inadequate sales outlets are being addressed. The Ceylon Fisheries Corporation is expanding stalls—Pilidatalawa, Udugama, recently Ambalangoda—and we are in discussions with the Ministry of Trade to set up fish stalls at all 417 Sathosa outlets with freezers. Co-op Cities will also host fish outlets in partnership with the Corporation. We inherited the Corporation with Rs. 1,500 million in debt (including unpaid EPF/ETF and gratuities) and Rs. 603 million in payables to fishers; we are stabilizing it.

¶ 10 Inland fisheries: NAQDA is actively implementing the “Reservoirs to Factories” concept, with a fisheries society model across interior districts.

¶ 11 We are reforming insurance: unlike vehicle insurance, fishers have had little protection. The Department of Fisheries has designed a new scheme to cover life, injury, and asset losses, alongside a strengthened pension/retirement benefit mechanism with scalable contributions (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or lump-sum) to secure meaningful pensions (e.g., up to Rs. 50,000), replacing the currently inadequate Rs. 1,400–1,500 benefits. Agreements have been signed to operationalize this within the first four months of our Government.

¶ 12 With this integrated approach—central/provincial alignment, agency coordination, infrastructure fixes, market access, post-harvest technology, fuel relief, insurance and pensions—we are confident of elevating the fisheries sector in 2025.