The Southern Province Ministry of Fisheries, headquartered at the Dakshinapaya Ministry Complex in Labuduwa, Galle, has partnered with state banking institutions to roll out a specialized concessionary micro-credit and vessel insurance facility for artisanal coastal fishermen.

Formulated in accordance with the newly enacted Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Act, the lending framework provides small-scale fishers with affordable working capital to replace obsolete outboard motors, adopt solar-powered navigational beacons, and finance insulated fish-hold boxes to minimize post-harvest catch spoilage. Provincial fisheries directors emphasized that the regulated loan scheme protects vulnerable coastal families from predatory informal lenders while enhancing marine safety across southern fishing communities.