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| Sunday, 10 October 2004 |
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Bid to stop dynamiting of fish by Anton Nonis Dynamiting of fish continues to pose a problem in the Southern and Eastern seas with the fisheries authorities receiving scores of complaints from the regions. Ministry of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources has sought Cabinet approval to enlist Police and Navy assistance on a regular basis, to grapple with the situation. According to Fisheries Director General, G. Piyasena, the worst affected areas are Galle, Matara, Kirinda and Trincomalee. He said that offenders were caught almost daily. But a majority of them escaped due to lack of sufficient manpower with the authorities. Investigations by the fisheries authorities have revealed that the act of dynamiting had dealt a big blow to the tourist industry. A large number of complaints by tourists who visit Sri Lanka, having gone for a dip in the sea in the respective areas, have been recorded. Hoteliers in those regions too have informed the authorities on and off that their customers keep away from one of their great passions- sea bathing, for fear of dynamite at various depths in the sea. Apart from the adverse effect on tourism, it is also analysed that dynamiting reduced fish stocks as a result of elimination of fish eggs, larvae on the aquatic lifespan. Piyasena said that last week too a couple of offenders from Galle were caught and produced before courts. Punishment too has been increased, recently - fines of Rs. 5000 to Rs. 500,000 and the minimum prison term from three years to five years. |
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