The Kalutara District Fisheries Coordination Committee meeting was held successfully under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Rathna Gamage today (20th of June, 2025) at the Auditorium of Kalutara District Secretariat.
The main objective of this meeting was to identify the problems faced by the fishing community and provide prompt solutions to them.
It is noteworthy that a large number of people representing various sectors of the fishing industry, including fishermen engaged in multi-day and one-day fishing, fishermen engaged in the drag net industry, aquaculture fishers and people engaged in the ornamental fish industry, participated in this meeting.
During the meeting, several issues faced by the fishing community were discussed at length:
Post-harvest damage and reduced harvest: It was emphasised that increased post-harvest damage in fisheries sector and the decreased overall fishery harvest, lead to a price hike in fish. Discussions were held on proposals to introduce mother vessels or fish processing vessels for this purpose.
Issues at the Beruwala Fishery Harbour:
Waste disposal:
Irregular disposal of waste in the harbour was identified as a major issue. The Deputy Minister emphasised that it is the duty and responsibility of the fishing community itself to keep the harbour clean.
Furnace oil and plastic waste: Attention was also drawn to the discharge of waste such as furnace oil, polythene and plastic into the harbour basin during vessel cleaning. The Deputy Minister said that if the awareness campaigns cannot control the situation in the future, a fine or legal action will have to be taken.
Anchorage Facilities:
It was revealed that the anchorage facilities are inadequate due to the detention of fishing boats that have not been used for a long time in the harbour. It was instructed to take prompt legal action to remove such vessels.
Lighting Facilities and Beacon Lamps:
The lack of beacon lamps required by fishermen to mark their direction at sea and the lack of adequate lighting facilities in some places was a problem. Director of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Mr. M. Marcus, stated that bids have already been invited for this and it is expected to meet those requirements within a few months.
Inactive Fisheries Organizations:
It was pointed out that many fisheries organizations in the Kalutara district are inactive. The Deputy Minister instructed the Officer in Charge of the Fisheries Federation to take immediate steps to reactivate the inactive fisheries organizations in the Kalutara district. It was emphasized that by activating these organizations, it would be possible to consider the needs of the fishing community and obtain their contribution and participation in the development activities of the country.
The Deputy Minister further said that the participation of all the people is important to achieve the objective of "A Rich Country, a Beautiful Life", and that the policy of the new government is to increase the productive economy and distribute its benefits equally. He even stated that the participation, support and commitment of all are essential to implement this policy.
This is the sixth meeting of the Fisheries District Coordination Committee held under the patronage of the Deputy Minister and the meeting was held in the Kalutara district after the districts of Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Gampaha and Puttalam. It was agreed to hold these coordination committee meetings once in every three months. The fishing community is requested to submit their issues two weeks before the upcoming meetings, and it is expected to review the progress of the issues discussed today and discuss new issues.
The meeting was attended by a number of Divisional administrative officers including the Kalutara MP Nandana Padmakumara, the Additional District Secretary, the Divisional Secretaries of Kalutara, Panadura and Beruwala. In addition, officers from institutions under the Ministry of Fisheries such as the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Police, the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA), the Fishery Harbours Corporation, the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation, and CEY-NOR, as well as officers from all the nine Fisheries Inspectorate Divisions of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, also participated in this event.
