News

Ghost nets entangling turtles, marine life in Lanka’s waters

Published

5 months ago

2025/10/22

Two Olive Ridley turtles caught in discarded fishing nets. Image courtesy of Mongabay

In Sri Lankan waters, there’s a growing problem of ghost nets that are entangling sea turtles, fish, dolphins and seabirds, reports Mongabay.

“Ghost nets” are fishing gear that have either been abandoned, lost or discarded into the sea. As these drift with the ocean currents, they continue to trap marine animals — or “ghost fish.”

“These lost fishing gear kill scores of marine species and remains a specific problem for marine turtles,” said Thushan Kapurusinghe, project lead of the Turtle Conservation Project of Sri Lanka.

Charith Dilshan, project manager of the Galbokka Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Center in Kosgoda, southern Sri Lanka, told Rodrigo they find at least 30 turtles entangled in ghost nets along their stretch of beach each year.

Turtles aside, ghost nets have also been observed entangling fish, dolphins and seabirds in Sri Lankan waters. In fact, ghost fishing can trigger chain reactions, Rodrigo writes. Small fish caught in the drifting gear can attract larger predators such as turtles and dolphins, which then become entangled themselves. “That’s why we call them ‘floating cemeteries,’” Kapurusinghe said.

Dilshan said some ghost nets found in Sri Lankan waters were likely lost or discarded elsewhere. Research suggests the problem of ghost nets can indeed be a transboundary one, with fishing gear abandoned or lost in one country’s waters drifting into those of another’s.

A 2019 study, which focused on the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, for example, documented 752 ghost nets that had entangled 131 turtles over a 51-month period. The researchers estimated that the same ghost nets could have ensnared between 3,400 and 12,200 turtles across the Indian Ocean before they were detected in the Maldives.

However, Sri Lanka also contributes significantly to the problem.

A pilot study published in 2023, for instance, surveyed 325 vessels and estimated they’d lost nearly 22,600 kilograms (about 50,000 pounds) of plastic fishing gear to the sea. The actual figure is likely to be much higher since there are more than 50,000 registered fishing vessels across the country, said Gayathri Lokuge of the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA), who co-authored the study.

Lokuge and her colleagues identified gill nets as the most frequently lost gear, followed by lines and hooks. Interviews with fishers revealed that poor weather and ocean conditions are the leading causes for losing or discarding fishing gear. Poor port waste management and limited recycling infrastructure add to the problem, Lokuge said.

The Mongabay said that ghost nets washed ashore are now a common sight across Sri Lanka’s beaches. A survey of 22 beaches found that fishing gear made up 20% of marine debris.

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News

PM Harini leads panel to protect public services

Published

8 hours ago

2026/03/22

Thilina Walpola

Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya

The newly appointed Cabinet Committee tasked with ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of Sri Lanka’s public service held its inaugural meeting on Thursday (19) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya.

The Committee convened to discuss strategies to maintain seamless government operations in the face of potential disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict situation in the Middle East, with particular focus on energy resource management.

According to officials, the discussions emphasised sustaining essential government services, ensuring continued service delivery to the public, and addressing the operational challenges faced by public sector employees during the current circumstances. The Committee also examined measures to mitigate any disruptions that could affect day-to-day administrative and service functions across ministries and departments.

Key attendees at the meeting included the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government A. H. M. M. H. Abayaratne; Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Secretary to the

Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri; Chief of Staff to the President Prabath Chandrakeerthi; and senior secretaries from key ministries including Health and Mass Media, Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Energy, and Digital Economy.

Representatives from state institutions such as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation were also present, highlighting the government’s focus on energy security as a central priority. The Committee’s deliberations underscored a coordinated approach to balancing uninterrupted public service delivery with effective management of limited energy resources amid the ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.

Observers note that the formation of this Cabinet Committee reflects the government’s proactive stance in safeguarding national administrative functions and ensuring that critical public services remain resilient during times of external pressures.The Committee is expected to meet regularly to monitor developments, evaluate emerging risks, and implement practical measures to maintain operational continuity across the public sector.

News

Sajith slams President over war conduct and economic missteps

Published

8 hours ago

2026/03/22

Thilina Walpola

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Friday lashed out at President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament, accusing him of failing to uphold international law during wartime.

Premadasa said the President’s claim of neutrality ignored breaches of the UN Charter—including Articles 2.4 and 2.7—and other global conventions. “A neutral stance requires openly acknowledging violations,” he argued, criticizing the absence of ethical mechanisms to safeguard international law.

He also questioned the President’s handling of maritime issues, particularly whether Sri Lanka had been informed of the alleged attack on the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena, stressing that the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) permits only peaceful activity.

On the economic front, Premadasa condemned the government for missing a chance to buy Russian oil during a 30-day U.S. sanctions suspension.

He said attempts to advise the Foreign Ministry, including a meeting with the Russian Ambassador, yielded no progress.

Premadasa further ridiculed the government’s earlier dismissal of the QR code fuel system, noting that officials are now adapting to it.

Turning to broader economic concerns, he called for immediate negotiations with the IMF to secure a new agreement, warning that the current primary balance of 2.3 is unsustainable. He stressed the urgent need for a poverty-reduction program, highlighting that one-third of Sri Lankans live in poverty.

He also demanded that surplus Treasury funds be used to support relief packages, arguing billions in reserves could aid households struggling with income shortfalls.Concluding his address, Premadasa criticized the government for failing to prepare for foreseeable crises, leaving the country vulnerable.

News

Johnston Fernando, sons held in Lanka Sathosa lorry misuse case

Published

8 hours ago

2026/03/22

Thilina Walpola

Former Minister Johnston Fernando, his two sons, and three others were remanded by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday (20) until April 2, the court confirmed.

The suspects, including Fernando’s elder son Johan, younger son Jerome, and a former transport manager of Lanka Sathosa, are under investigation by the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID).

Authorities allege the Lanka Sathosa lorry was misused for operations linked to an ethanol company reportedly owned by Fernando, causing an estimated Rs. 2.5 million loss to the state.