Norway supports fisheries research between NARA and IMR
View(s):
Ambassador Jøranli Eskedal and the Minister exchange copies of the agreement.
The National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) in Sri Lanka and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway (IMR) on Tuesday joined hands to continue their cooperation in fisheries research in Sri Lankan waters.
The two institutions will engage in research on fish stocks in the waters of Sri Lanka, with the aim of improved and sustainable management of marine resources in the country, the Norwegian Embassy said in a media release.
Norway’s financial assistance enabled an ecosystem survey in the coastal waters of Sri Lanka by the Norwegian Research Vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen in Sri Lanka in 2018. After the successful completion of the first phase of the project, the Norwegian Embassy approved the second phase of the project for development of fisheries management tools at a cost of close to NOK 8.75 million (about US$1 million), which will be operational until 2022.
Speaking at the event, the Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Trine Jøranli Eskedal, said that Norway is “committed to bilateral cooperation on oceans and to helping Sri Lanka put in place data-based management systems for ocean resources, which will enable Sri Lanka to better monitor its fish stocks.”
She added that the Norwegian fisheries cooperation with Sri Lanka, which dates back to the 1970s, includes fisheries management, research and education, and private sector development. From 2013 to 2020, NOK 20.3 million (about $2.4 million) has been disbursed to the fisheries sector.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Fisheries, Douglas Devananda, noted that the government of Sri Lanka is looking for renewed opportunities to strengthen the fisheries sector. “Research projects of this nature are an opportunity for our Sri Lankan fishermen and for the sector as a whole. Sri Lanka and Norway have a longstanding bilateral relationship within the fisheries sector and wish to ensure the livelihoods of fishermen and the local economy,” he stressed.