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Fishing allowed from today onwards outside the zone: Kanchana
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CID records statements from ship’s top brass
State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish and Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbour Development, Multiday Fishing Activities and Fish Exports Kanchana Wijesekera told The Morning yesterday (31) that the containers which had fallen from the ship into the sea were a major concern.
“We banned fishing in the ‘no fishing zone’ for two main reasons. When the ship was burning, we were concerned about the dangers that would be posed to the fishermen if they ventured out into the sea. Secondly, containers from the ship had fallen into the sea. We don’t want fishermen to come into any harm if they encounter these containers. Until we determine what to do with the ship and whether to move it away, we would most likely not allow fishing in the ‘no fishing zone’ in order to ensure the safety of our fishermen,” Wijesekera said.
However, in a statement made on Twitter yesterday, Wijesekera said that following consultation with the relevant authorities, fishing would be allowed from today (1) onwards in areas away from the ‘no fishing zone.’
According to Wijesekera, the “no fishing zone” is from the Panadura River to Ma Oya, through the Colombo Port and the Negombo Lagoon.
Wijesekera further told The Morning that continued testing of water samples in the “no fishing zone” by the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) has shown that there is nothing harmful detected so far.
“Reports by the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council (SLAERC) also show us that there is no radioactive material in our waters either. The NARA also took samples from the seabed as well, in order to test them,” added Wijesekera.
Speaking to The Morning, National Fisheries Solidarity Movement Convenor Herman Kumara said that the main question that the fishermen living in the stretch have is as to how long they would have to stay without engaging in their livelihood.
“Yesterday, the Prime Minister stated that Rs. 5,000 would be given per month for each affected family as compensation. Is that enough? The fishermen’s livelihoods are completely halted due to this. They also have no assurance on how long the effects of this disaster would impact their fishing activities,” said Kumara.
Commenting on the monthly earnings of a fisherman who goes out into the deep seas, Kumara said that incomes vary depending on the season. However, he added that fishermen are currently facing a loss of approximately Rs. 200,000 per month if they are unable to fish.
On a similar note, All Island General Fisheries Federation National Organiser Rathna Gamage told The Morning that for the past 16 months, fishermen have been severely affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With this newest disaster in Sri Lankan waters, Gamage urged the Government to properly compensate the fisher folk.
“We have also heard about the effect that nitric acid which leaked from the ship could have on coral reefs, which are breeding grounds for many species of fish. We are concerned that this would lead to an overall decrease in the fish population and stocks,” added Gamage.
NARA Governing Board Member and University of Ruhuna Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences and Technology Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Head Dr. Ashoka Deepananda told The Morning that nitric acid could cause bleaching in coral reefs.
“Hikkaduwa and Rumassala are famous for having two of our greatest coral reefs. However, there are fragments of coral reefs or reefs around the island, which serve as breeding grounds for a number of species of fish. When nitric acid or other chemicals travel further into the ocean, they will naturally get diluted,” said Dr. Deepananda.
Thus, according to Dr. Deepananda, the most affected area would be around the area of the ship, where the acidic levels are at their highest concentration.
However, commonly consumed fish in the country such as yellowfin tuna and skipjack tuna do not live near the coast, and are usually found further away in the deeper seas and as such, it is unlikely that those fish would be greatly affected by the disaster, said Dr. Deepananda.
In a press conference held yesterday, the leaders of the Negombo fisheries organisations also said that mostly sardinella, pilchard, and sprats are found in the affected area. The leaders added that although various organisations claim that marine animals have died as a result of the disaster, no authoritative report on the matter has been released yet.
Meanwhile, Police Media Spokesman Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Ajith Rohana said yesterday that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has begun to record statements from the Captain, Chief Engineer, and Second Chief Engineer of the ship. The CID appointed a 10-member team of detectives, including three Chief Inspectors (CIs) and an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), to investigate the incidents surrounding the MV X-Press Pearl container ship. The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) had filed a police complaint last week regarding the matter.
The Singaporean flag ship caught fire on 20 May outside the Colombo Harbour and the fire was extinguished last week.