Speaking to representatives of several Freshwater Fishermen's Associations in Kilinochchi on January 17, 2024, Mr. Douglas Devananda, Minister of Fisheries, said that he was not in politics for fun and that the government, acting on the president's orders, was doing everything it could to assist citizens during the economic downturn while taking into account the state of the nation.
The Minister went on to say that all industries in the nation had experienced setbacks in the past, including the fishing sector.
He stated that the concessions and assistance that could have been provided to the fishermen involved in the freshwater and brine water fishing industries had already been provided and further stated that he anticipated provide with more concessions in the future.
Furthermore he expressed that as of right now, 130,000 fish fry had been released into Puttupalam Lake, and plans were reportedly in place to release fish fry into the seasonal and medium-scale reservoirs in the Pudukuduirippu area. The minister added that he had come to the realization that the fishermen employed in the seasonal reservoirs would be unemployed for six months, during which time they would receive the support they need to work in agriculture.
