KOICA Helps Aquaculture Development

DailyNews reports that, encompassed by the vast coast and adjacent Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka possesses a great potential for fisheries and maritime industry, and aquaculture development. Out of the many coastal areas, Mannar and Kalpitiya have been recognised as locations for aquaculture development.

Cultivation of mud crab and oyster is under way in the region, which are useful income sources. Due to the lack of sufficient technology and know how in such species cultivation and unexpected climate condition in the region, aquaculture activities have not gained fruitful results.

The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry recently commenced research and development activities aimed at launching full-scale aquaculture development and generating more income to local people through developed technology transfer to local cultivators and fishermen.

The Republic of Korea will hold "Expo 2012, Yeosu, Korea," in August 2012 under the theme The living ocean and coast, intended to improve the understanding of the value of oceans and coasts, and develop them in a desirable way for humankind's prosperity.

The Yeosu project was initiated to share Korea's maritime and aquaculture development experiences with partner developing countries through KOICA's ODA projects to commemorate the theme of Yeosu Expo 2012.

The project for Designing the Aquaculture Development Plan was agreed to be implement from January 2012 to October 2012 after a series of KOICA's survey team visited Sri Lanka and consulted with the ministry and the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development (NARA) in June and December 2011.

Under this US$150,000 project, KMI (Korea Maritime Institute), commissioned by KOICA, will conduct a field survey and feasibility study on mud crab farming in Kalpitiya and oyster in Mannar, and plan a detailed aquaculture development plan, and expertise sharing between both countries' researchers and training for Sri Lanka researchers and officials in Korea.

As a part of the training programme within the project schedule, Sri Lankan officials will visit the Yeosu Expo site and gain real knowledge on details of that event in Korea.

This Yeuso project will be able to contribute to aquaculture development in Sri Lanka through viable species such as mud crab and oyster.

It will also be able to strengthen relations in the area of maritime and aquaculture between the two countries.