The Puttalam District Fisheries Coordination Committee meeting was held successfully under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Rathna Gamage on 18th of June at the Puttalam District Secretariat.
The issues that faced by the fishing community in the Puttalam and Mahawewa fishing districts were discussed extensively in this important meeting.
The event was attended by MP Ajith Gihan, MP Hiruni Wijesinghe and MP Gayan Janaka Kumara, along with many members of the Divisional political authority. In addition, the Chief Government Agent of Puttalam District, Divisional Secretaries, representatives of the Department of Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management, Urban Development Authority, Wildlife Department, Environmental Organizations and a large number of fisheries organizations and officers and chairmen of the Fishery Harbours Corporation, Fisheries Corporation, NARA and NAQDA under the Ministry of Fisheries also participated.
During the meeting, special attention was paid to the problems related to the fishery harbours of Kalpitiya, Wellamankara and Chilaw.
* Wellamankara Fishery Harbour: The fishing community pointed out that facilities for anchoring multi-day vessels are insufficient. As a solution for this, Deputy Minister agreed to conduct a feasibility study and submit a budget proposal for the construction of a new jetty to expand the facilities at Wellamankara Harbour.
* Chilaw Fishery Harbour: Certain problems arose regarding the sale of fish by people coming from outside and the lack of space at the jetty. Furthermore, the obstructions to boat traffic due to the closure of the estuary were also discussed. The Deputy Minister promised to intervene and take steps to resolve these problems of the fishing community. It was agreed to conduct a feasibility study for expanding the jetty and conduct a site inspection of the estuary and take necessary measures.
* Kalpitiya Fishery Harbour: It was emphasized that the old jetty built in 1982 has deteriorated and the need for its immediate repair was emphasized. The Deputy Minister instructed the officials to conduct relevant studies on this issue and take necessary measures.
In addition, the search for permanent solutions to prevent coastal erosion and the problems related to crab and shrimp farming, especially the shortage of fry, were also discussed. The Deputy Minister pointed out that preliminary studies are needed for long-term solutions to coastal erosion.
The Deputy Minister promised to draw the attention of the government to the problems arising from the pollution and blockage of the Dutch Canal in relation to shrimp farming and to allocate funds from the upcoming budget to clean it.
The Deputy Minister said that this meeting was a very successful method of reaching out to the fishing community and resolving their problems, and that all parties who participated for this event appreciated this effort. It was agreed to hold these coordination committee meetings once every three months.
