Sri Lanka’s Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera has appointed an expert committee to study illegal fishing methods being adopted by fishermen in different parts of the country. The Minister appointed this committee after considering the protests and clashes that took place over the use of illegal fishing methods by some fishermen in several parts of the country during past few months. Recent protests staged by fisher groups in Puttalam and Negombo asked the government to take action to stop the use of prohibited purse seine nets such as Laila and Surukku by certain fishermen. The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ministry has already banned a number of fishing methods including the bottom trawling and the use of purse seine nets, dynamite for fishing with the objective of preserving marine resources. Following the protests and violent clashes, the Minister earlier last month held a discussion with relevant stakeholders and instructed authorities to strictly implement law against local fishermen using illegal fishing methods and requested the country’s Navy to arrest culprits regardless of their social standing. A Ministry official told the local Daily News that the Ministry has received many reports from various quarters that a handful of fishermen are still in the habit of using these illegal fishing methods and therefore the Minister has appointed the committee to study why these methods are still being adopted. The committee is chaired by Professor Sunil Jayakody and will comprise Sisira Haputhanthri and ministry legal office Shalika Waduthanthri. This committee will hand over their report on the use of purse seine nets for fishing first and later a report on the use of other illegal fishing methods by Sri Lankan fishermen. The Minister has directed the committee members to obtain the view of all stakeholders in the field on the use of illegal fishing methods.
2000, 2016 by LankaPage.com (LLC) :