The Central Fish Market Association (CFM) highlighted that 100% countrywide fisher community cast their vote for the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and urged the new Government to reduce the skyrocketed prices of expensive fishing gear that badly affected to uplift the industry.
CFM, Chairman Jayasiri Wickramarachchi told ‘Daily News Business’ that the prices of almost all fishing gear including fishing nets, electrical equipment that are used to trawlers and boats, fishing rods, fishing reels and fishing lines are currently sold at unbearable prices in the open market.
He said although this matter was brought to the attention of higher authorities of the previous government in the recent past nobody took any action to give a solution.
Wickramarachchi further requested the new Government to look into this matter in a positive manner considering the current high prices of all kinds of fish in the market.
Speaking on prices of diesel and kerosene he said authorities should also take steps to grant a fuel subsidy to fishermen. He said fuel price increases are highly affected by small scale fishing trawlers and small fishing boats.
He said even at this juncture receiving fish stocks to the Peliyagoda main fish market has rapidly come down as regular fishermen have curtailed their daily activities owing to the high prices of fuel especially kerosene oil. “Reduction of kerosene oil prices will benefit fishermen and also to fish transporters since there will be a great demand for fish from outstations, “he said.
Wickramarachchi also said if fishermen keep away from fishing it will affect both consumers, hoteliers and also local seafood exporters who bring colossal sums to Sri Lanka.
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