Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development says nearly 5 tons of plastic water bottles carried by about 50,000 fishing vessels going daily for fishing are disposed in to the sea. The matter has been brought to the attention of the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera at the progress review meeting held under the chairmanship of the Minister last week. The Director General of the Fisheries Department briefed the Minister on the harm such waste causes to fish, coral-reefs, aquatic plants and other aquatic species. The Minister stressed that carrying plastic water bottles of every size onboard shall immediately be prohibited in support of the President’s vision of protecting natural resources of the country. The Minister stressed that the fishermen should use a permanent water container to be carried onboard and every fishing vessel should be strictly checked by fishery harbors before departures. He also instructed to immediately issue the related circular to all the district fisheries offices and to assistant fisheries directors.
2000, 2016 by LankaPage.com (LLC) :