Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry will file cases under the Explosives Act against the fishermen who use dynamite in fishing. They will also not be granted bail, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
The persons and their vehicles deployed in transporting the fish caught by using dynamite and also the persons selling them will be taken into custody, he said.
The minister said so participating at a media briefing at the ministry.
The ministry is drawing plans to impose strict rules and regulations on deep sea fishermen using illegal fishing vessels and equipment to catch fish with the aim of protecting the fish resource for the future.
National Aquatic Resources and Research Development Agency (NARA) yesterday handed over a special survey report on using illegal fishing vessels and equipment to the minister at the ministry.
NARA Chairman Dr. Anil Premaratne handed over the report on behalf of the organisation.
Dr. Premaratne said his staff met a number of fishermen who are still using dynamite, Layila and Surukku nets before they made the report and he said that it was not an easy task.
Dr. Premaratne said: “We had several rounds of discussions with fishing communities at several parts of the country in making this report. We have already included the fishing methods which can be followed by fishermen without using illegal equipment and methods in this report”.
The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd., 19962016.