Xinhua
17 December 2013
Sri Lankan government is offering the island’s fisheries harbors to foreign vessels from Asian countries, including China, in a bid to prevent European countries from exploiting fishing resources in the Indian Ocean, an official said here on Tuesday.
Under the plan, fishing vessels from China, Dubai, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam will be invited to engage in fishing in the international waters in the Indian Ocean and export their products via the fisheries harbours in Sri Lanka, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Rajitha Senaratne said.
About 20 Chinese and eight Japanese fishing vessels have already been offered the facility while talks are underway with Dubai to offer these facilities, local media reported.
Discussions with other countries will follow, the minister told reporters.
“They will be operating under the Sri Lankan flag and will process the fish for exports in local harbours. Sri Lanka will benefit by imposing port charges and export taxes,” he explained.