Fisheries, Aquaculture Badly Hurt by Tsunami, says FAO
The recent earthquake in the Indian Ocean and the subsequent tsunami had devastating effects on the fisheries and aquaculture sectors of the affected countries, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
FAO noted that in Sri Lanka alone, ten of the 12 most important ports in the country have been destroyed.
Both fisheries and farming operations,
such as this coastal shrimp farm
were devastated by the tsunami.
According to the most recent reports, 111,073 fishing vessels were damaged or destroyed, and 1.7 million units of fishing gear (nets, tackle, or other equipment) were lost or destroyed. Total fishing and aquaculture infrastructure losses are estimated to exceed $520 million in the seven countries most deeply affected by the tsunami (India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Somalia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand).
FAO has sent 22 fisheries specialists to the affected countries, and plans to send 11 more in the near future. The specialists are being dispatched in teams including master fishermen, naval architects, boat builders, food safety and cold storage specialists, marine biologists, aquaculturists, and fisheries planners. These teams are working with national governments to assess damages and to begin providing targeted assistance to fishers and aquaculture producers needing to re-establish their livelihoods in the wake of the tragedy. The groups will travel to different areas to repair boats, distribute nets and other fishing gear, and help local residents rebuild their seafood economies, and training craftsmen, boatwrights, processors and distributors.
The FAO’s plans include both immediate assistance and long-range planning. It is expected that the outreach efforts required will need to continue for many years into the future, with the goal of returning stability to the area’s fisheries and aquaculture industries.
FAO is stressing that most fishers in the affected region use gear that is specialized to match local stocks, ocean conditions, and local customs. It is important that any equipment brought in or donated from overseas match those requirements.
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