The country's council of ministers on Friday approved an ambitious plan aimed at guiding public and private sector investment in the fisheries industry to help with financing fishery projects, carrying out research on fish species and development of aquaculture.

Information minister Micheal Makuei said the draft National Fisheries Policy and Aquaculture Strategy, would be key in boosting the economy of South Sudan through provision of employment opportunities and fish export.

He said the country has enormous stocks of fish species but the sector largely remains unexploited due to lack of laws and poor infrastructure, adding that cabinet has earmarked a sum of 1.5 million U. S. dollars to kick start implementation of the new policy.

"South Sudan is one of the areas where fish die of old age. We need to develop this area of fisheries so that it becomes natural resources of income for the people of South Sudan," Makuei said.

According to the World Bank, South Sudan is the most oil-dependent nation in the world, with oil accounting for almost the totality of exports, and around 60 percent of its gross domestic product. ■