(UTV | COLOMBO) – Fishermen in Pooneryn area urge fisheries authorities to take immediate action to stop poaching by fisherfolk arriving from the Mannar seas obstructing their routine livelihood.
When the issue was taken up for discussion at the Pooneryn Divisional coordinating meeting recently, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Douglas Devananda instructed Officials to take action to stop fishing activities in Poonereyn sea waters.
The fishermen in Pooneryn who were present at the meeting said that around 80 to100 outside fishing boats used to haunt the Pooneryn sea to engage in fishing and the Authorities were not intervening to stop this unlawful fishing practice developing in the local sea waters.
Devananda emphasised that to curtail situation, the Fisheries Department in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Navy and the Police will launch a search and rounding up operation in the Pooneryn sea area.