The fish harvest in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters has been gradually declining since 2014, the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) said on Saturday.
NARA chairman Prof. Sanath Hettiarachchi said the decline was not a sudden development but part of a wider threat affecting marine ecosystems in Sri Lanka and in many other countries.
No single cause has been identified for the fall in catches, he said, although changes in the biological systems of the marine environment are considered a major contributing factor.
El Niño link not established
Prof. Hettiarachchi said it had not yet been established whether current El Niño conditions are contributing to the decline, adding that there is no confirmation Sri Lanka has been directly affected by the phenomenon.
That is a notably cautious answer to a question the government put to the agency two weeks ago. The Fisheries Ministry asked NARA on August 9 for a scientific report on fish populations and on the potential impact of El Niño, after fishermen reported falling catches. At that point neither the ministry nor the agency had put any figure or timeframe on the shortfall; Saturday’s statement supplies the trend line — a decline running since 2014 — but still no tonnage figures and no confirmed cause.
Alternative livelihoods raised
If the situation continues over the long term, attention has turned towards directing fishing communities into alternative employment to secure their livelihoods, the chairman said.
A special programme to promote fish farming has already been launched as a possible solution. Prof. Hettiarachchi said he was not satisfied with the progress made so far.
Enforcement blamed
National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO) convener Herman Kumara attributed part of the decline to weak enforcement of laws prohibiting illegal fishing nets and destructive fishing gear, alleging that continued use of such methods has contributed significantly to the depletion of fish resources.
The two outlets differ on some details. Ada Derana identifies the body as the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency and its chairman as Prof. Hettiarachchi; Daily Mirror renders the agency as an “Institute” and the chairman as “Dr.” Daily Mirror also gives the fisheries movement as the “National Fisheries Cooperation Movement” and its convener as “Harman Kumara.”
