The Asia-Pacific Region Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Summit will begin today at Colombo Galadari hotel. The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister will grace the occasion and International Fisheries and Aquatic Resources public sector organizations and non-governmental organizations representing 17 countries will participate in the Summit.the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ministry said.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Felix Perera told The Island Financial Review that it was a log-felt necessity to convene a high level summit on the development of Asia-Pacific Region fisheries and aquatic resources as the preservation of fishing and aquatic resources had become a vital necessity. The fisheries policy formulation of the Ministry had prioritized the protection of the environment for sustainable exploitation of fisheries and aquatic resources.

He pointed out that in accordance with the contents of the "Mahinda Chintanaya" one of the principal aims of the government would be to develop the Sri Lankan fisheries industry on par with Japan and Thailand and an Action Plan was being formulated to achieve the set objectives in the near future. A conducive environment was absolutely essential to put the Action Plan into practice. Recognition and required technology transfer from the neighbouring countries to reach the target would be sine qua non.

Minister Perera added that the Sri Lanka’s fisheries industry was faced with a number of stumbling-blocks because ecological damages to the coastal areas, environmental pollution in the coastal areas and extinction of aquatic creatures had posed enormous problems. Adverse effects of the environment and resolution of the looming threats were extremely necessary. It was also the responsibility of consumers to intervene into avoidance of creating ecological damages.

He added that the Ministry had already prepared a policy to manage fisheries and environmental preservation system which would strive to get rid of unnecessary damages to the environment. The Summit would also draw attention to uplift the people in South Africa where some fishermen were found to be suffering great hardships for want of adequate fisheries and aquatic resources. The destruction of global environment had caused a major threat to the fisheries industry and the Summit would lay special emphasis to minimize the global problem. The Summit would seek a practical solution to stop global destruction on fisheries resources and it would hope to achieve the set target by 2010.