• A number of multi-day fishing vessels stop operations
• Scarcity of kerosene force coastal fishermen to remain ashore
• Fisheries TUs call for prioritisation of diesel and kerosene
• Providing relief to fishermen: Ministry

By Maneesha Dullewe The country’s fishing community is one of the worst hit, due to the ongoing fuel shortage. Many who make their livelihood in the low-income and informal bracket find themselves hard-pressed to survive the worsening economic crisis, as the fuel shortage affects them disproportionately. Speaking to The Sunday Morning, All-Island Fishermen’s Federation National Convener Rathna Gamage revealed that the ongoing diesel shortage had a drastic impact on the operation of fishing vessels. “The fuel shortage prevailing in the country has severely impacted the fishing industry. Significantly, there is an insufficient amount of diesel for the multi-day fishing vessels to function. Since we will not receive diesel from anywhere in the country both today and tomorrow, this has aggravated the pressure that has weighed upon these multi-day vessels over the past few weeks,” Gamage noted. Moreover, Gamage stated that this fuel shortage had led to a significant number of fishermen being compelled to give up their daily fishing trips out to sea. “Typically, a multi-day fishing vessel requires a minimum of 3,000 litres of diesel, but some vessels will require upwards of 4,000 litres, with some requiring about 7,000-8,000 litres of fuel. Of the approximately 5,000 multi-day fishing vessels in the country, a considerable number have stopped their fishing operations. As such, the fuel shortage is not only affecting the owners of these multi-day vessels but also the fishing community workers employed on these vessels.” According to Gamage, the fuel sheds at harbours with multi-day fishing vessels received about 15,000 litres of diesel, and this stock of diesel was only sufficient to be disbursed among about four to five multi-day fishing vessels. In addition to disrupting livelihoods, the fuel shortage is further causing a decline in the total fish production as well, Gamage shared. “Moreover, the kerosene required by small-scale fishermen is not being supplied by most fuel stations, and therefore, a significant number of small-scale fishermen have also stopped going out to sea.” Addressing the steps being taken by the authorities regarding the situation, Gamage noted: “The Government does not have a priority system in place at fuel stations to provide kerosene for fishing vessels. If priority is indeed being given, it is only true for a handful of instances. Therefore, small-scale fishermen have been unable to proceed with their jobs for nearly a month. “This has resulted in a decline in the country’s fish consumption. Additionally, since this has also required greater production expenses from fishermen, and this bodes ill for the consumer as well.” On the community’s grievances towards the authorities, Gamage said: “We urge the Government to ensure an uninterrupted supply of diesel and kerosene for the fishing vessels, and to reduce the prices of fishing implements as well as ice.” Responding to queries regarding the ongoing difficulties faced by the fishing community, Fisheries Ministry Media Secretary Nelson Edirisinghe stated that a programme to provide relief regarding the fuel prices was being prepared. However, when asked whether the fuel shortage had led to fishermen being unable to engage in fishing or if there had been a noticeable drop in seafood harvests, Edirisinghe categorically stated that the Ministry had received no such reports. “Almost all fishermen are engaged in fishing activities and going out to sea, although there are small protests much like in other sectors. However, every fishing harbour has been supplied with the required amount of fuel.” “Through the intervention of the Minister, who discussed the matter with the Energy Minister, we are supplying fishermen with their daily requirement of gas and fuel. While we did receive a couple of complaints from places with shortages, the Minister immediately intervened and took the necessary steps in that regard,” Edirisinghe shared, stressing that accordingly, fishermen were not facing any fuel shortage at present.  Edirisinghe further asserted that the fishing community was not facing significant upheavals at present or significant obstacles in performing their jobs due to the prevailing fuel shortage, although other issues such as increasing prices of fish products and bottom trawling were ongoing matters of concern for the sector. Meanwhile, speaking to The Sunday Morning, Advocata Institute Chief Operating Officer Dhananath Fernando said that while it would not be possible to calculate the exact statistics on job losses in the fisheries industry due to it belonging to the informal sector, the loss of jobs would follow a similar pattern to the effect of the Covid pandemic.  Elaborating on the impact of the job losses in the informal sector, Ferndando said: “We have to understand that we are still at the stage where it is the enterprises that are affected. But the next affected will be the people who are using those services.”  Accordingly, with fishermen claiming that the fuel shortage is affecting their ability to engage in fishing, resulting in smaller catches since of late, Fernando also estimated that price increases and shortages in fish products would follow.