News
Oceanpick donates Seabass fingerlings in support of smallholder fishing communities in Sri Lanka
In an effort to bolster national fish production as well as to improve the livelihoods and food security initiatives of smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka, Oceanpick (Pvt) Ltd. -South Asia’s spearheading oceanic farming operator-, recently distributed free fingerlings to small-scale fish farmers across the island, a company news release said.
The distribution was undertaken in the presence of officials from the National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka (NAQDA), and served to attest to the sustainable aquaculture company’s commitment to supporting local start-ups of artisanal Seabass farming operations.
A joint venture between Aberdeen Holding, Kames Fish Farming Ltd. of Scotland, and other investors-, Oceanpick was founded in 2011 with the aim to narrow the demand-supply gap of premium quality seafood without compromising on dwindling species numbers. Having started off as South Asia’s first ever commercial-scale offshore oceanic farm for finfish, and currently still the only offshore aquaculture operation in Sri Lanka, the BOI-approved company’s operations are highly sustainable, harnessing the strong currents and high quality of seawater off the northeast coast of the island to allow the fish to breed and thrive in its natural saltwater environment, the release said.
“Operating from its main Seabass and Barramundi hatchery and farming facility in the untouched waters of Trincomalee, Oceanpick is positioned with a geographical advantage, nestled amongst a major aquaculture hub alongside India and Bangladesh. However, the sustainable marine fish farm has taken the lead in Seabass and Barramundi culture, having recently being awarded the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practice (BAP) certification for Barramundi in South Asia; highlighting Sri Lanka on the map as having the first BAP-certified aquaculture facility in the region,” it added.
Seabass farming has proven to be an effective and sustainable economic activity; one that has the capacity to increase the income of fishing communities owing to its low environmental and operational costs.
At the Oceanpick facility, Seabass fingerlings are first allowed to hatch out and grow in the company’s on-shore nursery located close to the sea sites, and are then transferred to sea cages anchored to the ocean floor, where strict biosecurity standards are maintained and the waters consistently monitored for temperature and salinity. In 2019 alone Oceanpick facilitated the growth of over a million fingerlings, and as a result, were able to produce a surplus that is now able to benefit the growth of the fisheries sector in more ways than one.
“Over the years our facility has played a significant role in responsible farming that produces all-natural, nutrient-rich, and superior quality seafood, underscoring the sustainability of our facility and overall operations,” said Dan Richardson, Head of Operations at Oceanpick. “However, smallholder fish farmers are as crucial for the future growth of the fisheries sector. We felt the need to step in to strengthen connections by combining our resources, with the aim to both boost production as well as help restore livelihoods.”
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The newly elected National People’s Power (NPP) government intends to restructure the existing Sectoral Oversight Committees (SOCs) meant to examine Bills except those defined in Article 152 of the Constitution, treaties and reports, including annual and performance reports pertaining to institutions coming under their purview.
Parliament and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would examine the government’s proposal in this regard, authoritative sources told The Island.
Sources said that both parties agreed that expenditure could be curtailed through proper restructuring. The UNDP over the years provided a significant amount of funding for strengthening of SOCs, in addition to providing expertise.
SOCs could also examine any other matter referred to them by Parliament or any Committee or a Minister relating to the subjects and functions within their jurisdiction, sources said.
Altogether there were17 SOCs in the last parliament and the majority of them didn’t function properly, sources said. The SOC process attracted public attention late last year when the US invited heads of all SOCs except Colombo District Lawmaker Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera who led the one on national security. Weerasekera is on record as having said that the US embassy in Colombo sidelined him because of criticism of the US ambassador Julie Chung’s role in the high profile campaign that led to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ouster.
The fully sponsored 10-day programme gave lawmakers an opportunity to study the committee process in the U.S. Congress. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) facilitated the programme. However, quite a number of MPs who represented SOCs in the last parliament either hadn’t contested the last general election or were defeated, hence the responsibility on the part of the Parliament to pay a lot more attention to the proposed restructuring process.
Parliament introduced the SOC system during the yahapalana administration. The system allowed selected youth to represent SOCs thereby participating in the process, sources said, adding that the operation of the committee system was of pivotal importance.
By Dinasena Rathugamage
A female elephant died on Wednesday (4th) after collapsing in a paddy field in Kudakachchakodiya, Vavuniya, due to malnutrition.
According to Wildlife officials, the elephant had travelled a long distance.
After being alerted by local villagers, the Wildlife officials attended to the elephant and provided care for nearly a week. Despite their efforts, the elephant’s frail condition and advanced age ultimately resulted in her death.
Wildlife officials in Vavuniya are investigating the circumstances surrounding the elephant’s death.
His claim misleading– NPP
Jathika Jana Balawegaya Kegalle District MP Kabir Hashim told Parliament yesterday that incumbent President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had emulated his predecessor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, by allotting the same amount of funds for the period from January to April 2025.
Speaking during a debate on the Vote on Account presented for parliamentary approval by the government, MP Hashim noted that Wickremesinghe had allocated Rs. 1.4 trillion rupees to himself.
“This Vote on Account reveals that President Dissanayake has made the same allocation. When Wickremesinghe did so, the NPP and its leader Dissanayake criticised him. People voted for them expecting change. Where is the promised change?” Hashim said.
Hashim also said the government should seek parliamentary approval for the debt sustainability agreement with international sovereign bond holders before implementing it.
He mentioned that over Rs. 3 billion had been allocated for debt sustainability, while an additional Rs. 3 billion had been set aside for legal consultancy fees related to the debt restructuring programme.
NPP National List MP Lakmali Hemachandra, participating in the debate, said that USD 1.3 billion provided by the FAO to the Presidential Secretariat was included in the Vote on Account under the President’s Office heading, and that had resulted in an expenditure allocation for President Dissanayake similar to that of former President Wickremesinghe.
“The incumbent president has reduced expenses for his private staff by 64 percent,” MP Hemachandra added.
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