The damage to the marine environment of Sri Lanka’s west coast caused by the fire of the X-Press Pearl ship has severely affected the Barramundi (Modha) fish farms in the Negombo Lagoon. After assessing the damage, the compensation money given by the relevant insurance companies was distributed to the affected fish farmers by the Minister of Fisheries, Douglas Devananda yesterday (03) at the Negombo City Council office.
According the Fisheries Ministry, 57 fisher families were engaged in Modha fish farming in the Negombo Lagoon and all these farms were destroyed due to the chemicals leaked from the ship. After submitting the report of the survey conducted jointly by the Fisheries Ministry and the Aquaculture Development Authority to the company that had insured the ship, the said company had arranged to provide the compensation amount.
Minister Devananda speaking at the occasion said that the export of fish provides a large amount of foreign exchange to the country, out of which Barramundi fish farming has a special place. The minister also said that he will negotiate with the relevant insurance companies to provide another amount in addition to this compensation. Before participating in this event, the Minister inspected the anchorages at the Dikowita and Uswetakeiyawa fisheries Harbor and instructed the officials to work on developing the existing deficiencies as soon as possible.