Lubango — A fish warehouse will be built this year in Matala and Lubango districts, southern Huila province, which is expected to facilitate trade of the product in the region.

The information was released Wednesday in Lubango by the head of the Institute of Artisan Fishery (IPA), Silvano Levy.

According to the source, the project will be implemented by IPA, under the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Fisheries and Environment.

Silvano Levy who would not disclose the cost of the project, said the fish warehouse will be run by fishermen cooperatives from the districts of Matala, Quipungo, Caconda, Jamba, Caluquembe and others that will secure the supply of fish.

"The Government is already outlining strategies as to how best to work with the artisan fishermen cooperatives in these districts, but the programme is of a major importance as it will serve the population of Huila," he said.

Statistics supplied by the provincial department of fisheries of the local division of agriculture, say 50,000 tons of fish of varied species were caught during the first quarter of this year.

This is 15,000 tons more than the catch of the last three months of 2008.