Ministry blasts dynamite fishing
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ministry yesterday announced that it has eliminated the decade long practice of dynamite fishing along the country’s Eastern and Northern coasts .
“There will be no more blasts of dynamite to be heard from the seas off Mannar and Kilinochchi from now on,” said Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department Director C Wijegoonawardana.
The spate of dynamite fishing or blast fishing in Mannar and Kilinochchi has been brought under control with the help of the Navy, he said.
Meanwhile, coastal fishing is gradually gathering momentum in the Northeast on a firm footing with the steps taken by the ministry to remove all destructive and illegal fishing practices. Traditional coastal fishing is now gathering momentum. The number of fishing boats getting registered under the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department is on the increase, said Wijegoonawardana.
He said dynamite fishing in these areas was carried out by a limited number of people.
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne has been strict on illegal fishing methods, especially after the dynamite fishing incident in Mannar that killed two rare dugongs last December.
Dr Senaratne vowed to put a complete end to the practice of dynamite fishing after the incident.
Wijegoonawardana said the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department was studying the situation of dynamite fishing along the coasts of Mannar, Muttur and Pulmudai under the supervision of Minister Senaratne.
The Fisheries Department gathered information about those responsible for the activity with the help of its officers, the Police, the Navy, and coastal fishermen. Coastal fishermen were against dynamite fishing because of the negative impact it has on their traditional fishing. They have been complaining about it on a regular basis.
“Now we do not get any complaints since the activity has ceased with those engaged in it having been arrested by us in a joint effort with the Navy,” he said.
The ministry will take legal action against those taken into custody for dynamiting. The ministry has 10 cases to proceed with in this regard, he said.
No bail will be granted to the suspects under the category of dynamiting, he said. He said besides dynamite fishing, the ministry has stopped the use of purse-seining , bottom trawling and long line fishing among other illegal fishing methods that destroy natural reef and kill, millions of fish unnecessarily.
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