Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) Leader Suresh Premachandran yesterday (7) condemned the establishment of 1,500 sea cucumber farms and the involvement of a Chinese company in the Northern Province, claiming that they have affected the traditional fishing methods and livelihoods of the fishermen in the area. 

Premachandran told The Morning that he had received such complaints from fishermen in the Northern Province.

“Our concern is that if they extend the cucumber farms in the Northern Province, how will the local fishermen survive, and where will they fish? Mostly, the Mannar and Jaffna coastal areas are famous for fishing and the supply is sent to the entirety of Sri Lanka. If these things continue, the fishermen will lose their jobs and it will complicate their survival. It is understood that 5,000 sea cucumber farms are to be created in the North. The traditional fishermen are losing their fishing areas, and they cannot continue with their fishing. Also, the fishermen of the particular villages are not employed at these farms, but outsiders are utilising these farms instead. Thus, the fishermen have now begun to agitate,” he added.

He noted that the shallow water area between the Palk Strait and the Bay of Mannar is utilised by the fishermen, and that the establishment of such farms will therefore hinder the livelihoods of the fishermen. 

“Sea cucumber larvae are distributed to these farms by the Chinese company in Jaffna. Those operating the farms have to totally depend on the Chinese company. This Chinese company would buy the cucumbers according to their fixed prices. The technologies to cultivate sea cucumbers are only known to this company. The local fishermen are unaware of the technological aspect. Therefore, the company will have to provide the assistance and those who are employed at the farms have to depend on the company.”

Sea cucumber farms have already been established in Mannar, Kilinochchi. and Jaffna.

He also noted that prawn farms were created in the Puttalam District and that now most of these farms have been closed down following the spread of various diseases, and that fishermen are worried that such diseases would in turn also spread to the North. 

“Fishermen are worried that the sea cucumber farms would create health hazards in the respective areas,” he added. 

Meanwhile, during his speech regarding the fisheries head of expenditure in Parliament on Tuesday (6), Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda denied these allegations and stated that not only Chinese companies, but also Indian companies have requested permission to establish sea cucumber farms, adding that the companies had been informed that their requests will be considered, but that no permission had been granted for them to function thus far.