The World Bank Group (WBG) will contribute with S/400 million (about US$116.86 million) to the Production Ministry’s National Program for Innovation in Fisheries and Aquaculture, Peru’s Fishing Engineering Discipline Chapter announced Monday.
According to Discipline Chapter President Henry Quiroz, S/200 million (about US$58.43 million) will be allocated to aquaculture, whereas the remaining half will be equally divided between fisheries (S/100 million or about US$29.21 million) and cross-sector activities (S/100 million or about US$29.21 million).
“This contribution owes to WBG’s interest in boosting new sources to guarantee food security in the world,” he told Andina news agency.
Said financial support will be channeled through an agreement to be signed on January 27, 2017.
“WBG resources will be mainly allocated to innovation, research and infrastructure projects in favor of fishing and aquaculture,” Quiroz affirmed.
The fisheries authority explained that, unlike fishing, which has reached a plateau worldwide, aquafarming has recorded exponential development in the last 50 years. So much so its output now equals that of fishing.
“This factor will allow us to attract new investments for aquaculture development over the next years,” he concluded.
Research
On the other hand, National Fisheries Society (SNP) President Elena Conterno stressed the role of research for fisheries and aquaculture development.
“This will provide significant help to establish closed seasons, thus ensuring marine resources’ sustainability,” she pointed out.
In this sense, Coterno warned that several species still lack a set closed season.
Thus, the private sector has carried out vast research work for the productive development of trout, shrimps and Peruvian scallops.
However, research contributions by the National Program for Innovation in Fisheries and Aquaculture will allow the sector to “go faster” and “further spread progress made,” the SNP head underlined.
(END) SDD/JJN/DHT/RMB
Published: 12/6/2016