Sashimi Project

In Sri Lanka, the fisheries sector contributes around 70% of the animal protein consumed in the country. The fishing industry provides direct employment to 650 000 persons: 150 000 fishing, 100 000 associated service activities, 400 000 fish trade. This sector provides sustenance to 2, 4 million persons*.

*“Ten year Development policy frame work of Fisheries and Aquatic resources 2007 -2016” published by the Government of Sri Lanka in March 2007.

This sector generates a lot of employment and economic resources, but also suffers from several problems. For the fishermen, one of the biggest threats is the increasing fuel price because the vast majority of the fishing craft are engine-driven. Furthermore, as ecological concerns are rising, finding ecologically friendly solutions are essential.

 
There is a need in Sri Lanka to improve the nutritional status and food security of the people by increasing the national fish production, to minimize post-harvest losses and improve quality of fish products to acceptable standards, to increase employment opportunities in fisheries and related industries, to improve the socio-economic status of the fishermen community and to insure the conservation of the aquatic environment.

 
After the tsunami, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations highlighted problems related to the fishing industry in Sri Lanka. BAF Foundation Sri Lanka intends to propose solutions to some of them with the development of the Sashimi project as presented in the below table. The Sashimi project is in line with the “Ten year Development policy frame work of Fisheries and Aquatic resources 2007 -2016” published by the Government of Sri Lanka for the development of bigger boats able to reach high seas fish reserves and equipped with better conservation and storage methods.