Fishing Support

August 12, 2008 (LBO) - The United States has finished re-building the third fishery harbour in southern Sri Lanka which was hit by the 2004 Asian tsunami, the US embassy in Colombo said.

USAID has also helped renovate the Hikkaduwa and Mirissa fishery harbours as part of a 5 million US dollar project, helping a total 22,000 people in fisher families.

USAID said the project, carried out with Sri Lanka's Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation, had extended the breakwater in the Puranawella harbour, in the Dondra area, on which about 11,000 fishermen and family members depend on.

"By helping to rebuild this harbour, the American people have helped improve the livelihoods of fishermen here on the southern tip of Sri Lanka, and thereby strengthened the fishing industry and the local economy more generally," U.

S. Ambassador Robert Blake was quoted as saying at the opening ceremony.

The auction hall and water and sanitation facilities had also been improved.