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Protected marine parks not spared from blast fishing

Published

4 years ago

2022/07/17

(Mongabay) It was a perfect morning in Pigeon Island National Park in eastern Sri Lanka, where a group of tourists in a boat was taking in the rich marine life in the water around them.

All of a sudden, there was a loud blast close by. As silence settled once again, they saw the fish that had been flitting nimbly about now either floating dead on the surface or struggling to swim. Through the clear water, they could see more dead fish in the seabed.Hans-Georg Kehse, the leader of the tour group, realised they’d just narrowly escaped an explosive meant for catching fish.

“Fish bombs or dynamite fishing has become a common occurrence in and around Pigeon Island National Park, where sounds of such explosions have become frequent,” said Kehse, who operates a dive centre near the park.

He estimated that the recent blast occurred only about 400 metres, or a quarter-mile, from his tour group. Any closer, Kehse said, it could have been a human tragedy, which would have dealt a devastating blow to Sri Lanka’s already beleaguered marine tourism industry.

Dynamite fishing relies on an explosive to kill or stun large numbers of fish. The shockwaves from the underwater blast can kill a fish or rupture its swim bladder, resulting in the fish losing its buoyancy. They then become easy pickings for fishers, who just have to scoop them out of the water. But the practice is indiscriminately killing or injuring all marine creatures in the vicinity and damaging marine habitats such as coral reefs.In a marine park like Pigeon Island, corals constitute the main underwater life support system, and the repeated blasts can shatter the substrate of that coral growth, preventing its recovery, said Arjan Rajasuriya, a leading coral expert in Sri Lanka and former researcher with the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA).

Most of the corals in southern Sri Lanka are already bleached, and those in other areas are threatened. The eastern coast, where Pigeon Island is located, has the highest cover of live corals, but blast fishing poses a serious threat to them, Rajasuriya told Mongabay.Shipwreck sites, which attract large numbers of fish, have also become targets of blast fishing, according to Dharshana Jayawardena of Dive Sri Lanka, a diving tour operator. That’s especially concerning, given that dive tourism is seen as key to helping the tourism industry in Sri Lanka recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing economic crisis, Jayawardena said.

At the rate at which blast fishing is taking place, including at dive sites, it’s just a matter of time before a tourist gets injured, which would spell the end for Sri Lanka’s dive tourism industry, Jayawardena told Mongabay.

Among the sites where blast fishing is rife is Trincomalee in the country’s east, Galle in the south, and Mannar and Jaffna in the northern Pigeon Island is a particular concern because it’s one of just three marine national parks in Sri Lanka — a purportedly protected area administered by the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). A naval camp is located close by, from where the explosions can be clearly heard.

DWC director-general Chandana Sooriyabandara said the department’s officers on the ground work hard to tackle blast fishing whenever possible. Officers stationed near Pigeon Island said they try to go after the perpetrators whenever they hear an explosion, but these activities are so well coordinated that the fishing boats out at sea are quickly tipped off about the approaching patrol boats, allowing them time to flee.

The Sri Lankan Navy has apprehended several fishermen involved in blast fishing in recent years, seizing explosives that include TNT, C4, and gelignite. The latter, a water-based blasting gelatin, has increasingly become the explosive of choice.In 2017, the Navy seized 52 kilograms (115 pounds) of water gel. In the first few months of 2019, they seized 63 kg (139 lbs). Following the April 2019 Easter church bombings, there was a massive crackdown on the circulation of explosives, resulting in a drop in blast fishing during that period.

The distribution of explosives in Sri Lanka is regulated by the Navy. Explosives that end up being used in blast fishing either leak from this distribution chain or are smuggled into the country by sea from neighbouring India. The Navy says it has intensified its patrols of this sea route to crack down on the smuggling of explosives and other contraband.

But even these efforts are being undermined due to the unfolding economic crisis, the worst in Sri Lanka’s history. Acute shortages mean fuel for patrols by the DWC is being rationed. The Navy, meanwhile, is focused on another pressing problem: stopping the flow of desperate Sri Lankans trying to migrate to India.

Coral expert Rajasuriya said it’s impossible to identify the number of people who have access to explosives. The problem of blast fishing has gone from being a conservation issue and is now of national concern, he said. He called for strict vigilance and intelligence gathering, similar to the situation in the wake of the 2019 terrorist bombings, to identify how these explosives are being sourced.

Blast fishing is especially rampant in Mannar, in Sri Lanka’s northern region, according to S.S.M. Peramunagama from the Sri Lankan Department of Agriculture, who has researched destructive fishing activities there. It’s widely thought that blast fishing in Mannar is practised by fishers coming from other regions, but the reality is that it’s the local fishers doing it, Peramunagama said.

When fish reach the market, it’s difficult to determine whether they were killed by a blast, even for fisheries inspectors. “Another difficulty in enforcing the law is the degree of political interventions that had often [led to] the release of the arrested fishers,” Peramunagama told Mongabay. He also highlighted the personal risk that the blast fishers themselves run, with loss of limbs a very real danger whenever they handle the explosives.

A 2021 review of the existing scientific literature on blast fishing shows it’s a worldwide problem that’s driven by more than just poverty. “Blast fishing is happening in Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe since explosives started [becoming] available relatively freely in the late 19th century,” said lead author Melissa Hampton-Smith of the University of New England, Australia. The study identified particularly destructive practices in parts of Southeast Asia, Tanzania, the Red Sea, and many other areas in Asia.

Though poverty is often cited as the main factor driving fishers to resort to blast fishing, the biggest contributor is the easy access to explosives, Hampton-Smith said. Access to credit and the prospect of increased catches were also identified as bigger drivers than poverty, she added. The review also indicated that blast fishers tend to be wealthier than fishers who don’t practice blast fishing.

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Navy intercepts 02 narcotics-laden trawlers with 11 suspects in southern seas

Published

31 mins ago

2026/01/25

Priyan

Building on its success in seizing major narcotic stocks in 2025, the Navy continued to support the “A Nation United” National Mission in 2026. In continuation of these efforts, during an
operation conducted on the high seas south of Sri Lanka, the Navy apprehended eleven (11) suspects aboard two local multi-day fishing trawlers suspected of drug smuggling.

Based on shared information, by the Sri Lanka Navy and Police, this special operation was conducted off the southern coast, deploying the Navy‟s Offshore Patrol Vessels. The operation
resulted in the interception of a multi-day fishing trawler suspected of smuggling narcotics, and the apprehension of five (05) suspects on board.

During further operations in the same area, naval units seized another multi-day fishing trawler (01), along with communication equipment and six (06) additional suspects, also believed to be involved in drug smuggling.

This morning (25 Jan 26), the two intercepted fishing trawlers, along with fourteen (14) sacks laden with suspected narcotics and the suspects, were brought to the Dikovita Fisheries Harbour.

An expert examination by the Police Narcotic Bureau confirmed that the fourteen (14) sacks contained more than 184 kilograms of heroin and over 112 kilograms of ‘Ice’ (crystal methamphetamine).

The Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara, the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, and the Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasuriya, inspected the narcotics at the Dikovita harbour.

The Deputy Minister of Defence said that the current administration has initiated several projects for national development. As a flagship initiative, under the directives and guidance of the President, and under the supervision of the
Ministry of Defence, well-coordinated anti-narcotic raids have been launched.

This effort, part of “A Nation United” National Mission, involves the tri-forces, police, and all intelligence agencies working together under a coordinated plan to ensure that drug smugglers have no opportunity to bring narcotics into the country, he opined. He further stated that despite the national disaster situation, the state machinery, including the tri-forces, the police, and the public at large, remains united in rebuilding the nation, no room will be left for drug trafficking, which poses a severe threat to national security and public safety. Those
who engage in or support drug trafficking, under the cover of fishing activities, will find no escape, he added.

The Deputy Minister also reaffirmed that the tri-forces, police, and all law enforcement agencies are fully committed to their duty of suppressing this menace.

The Deputy Minister of Defence reported that, throughout 2025, a series of highly successful operations were conducted leading to numerous arrests. This was achieved through close coordination and mutual cooperation among the tri-services, the police, the Special Task Force, Police Narcotics Bureau, local law enforcement and international agencies. He noted that this
same spirit of cooperation and commitment has continued into 2026, resulting in the seizure of a large stockpile of drugs.

On behalf of the Honourable President, he extended gratitude to all who contributed to these efforts, specifically acknowledging the Commander of the Navy, the Inspector General of Police, the Police Narcotic Bureau, and the crews of the Navy’s Offshore
Patrol Vessels.

Moreover, the Deputy Minister declared that drug smuggling has become a national crisis, fueled by youth involvement and social crime. With borders secured under the “Nation United” National Mission, he warned traffickers to cease operations and urged users to abandon the destructive habit.

The Deputy Minister urged the public to report suspected drug smugglers to law enforcement via the hotlines 1818 or 1997 and also commended the role of media institutions and journalists in raising public awareness about the dangers of narcotics through responsible reporting.

Meanwhile, the two (02) multi-day fishing trawlers, along with a haul of narcotics, eleven (11) suspects, and communication equipment, were handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau for
further investigation and legal proceedings.

News

Engineers draw red line as CEBEU warns of union action over appointed date

Published

9 hours ago

2026/01/25

Thilina Walpola

Engineers at the Ceylon Electricity Board have drawn a clear red line over the government’s plan to gazette the appointed date for restructuring the utility, warning that trade union action will follow if the move is pushed through without addressing their core demands, the Sunday Island learns.

The powerful Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) says preparations are already under way for industrial action, most likely after the appointed date gazette is published, should the Minister proceed without resolving outstanding issues raised repeatedly by engineers.

“If the appointed date is gazetted without addressing our demands, we will have no option but to take trade union action,” a senior electrical engineer told The Island, stressing that the warning should be taken seriously.

CEBEU sources say the engineers’ demands are aimed at preventing a structural and financial crisis in the electricity sector, rather than blocking reform. They insist that unbundling the CEB without first putting in place firm safeguards would expose the sector to instability and consumers to higher costs.

The engineers’ key demands include: legally binding financial safeguards to ensure the proposed Electricity Generation Company is viable from inception; protection against the transfer of legacy liabilities, extraordinary costs, or inefficiencies to new entities or electricity consumers; enforceable accountability for management and policy decisions that inflate system costs; genuine, structured consultation with technical professionals before irreversible decisions are taken; and a halt to gazetting the appointed date until these safeguards are formally incorporated.

Engineers warn that rushing the appointed date would lock existing weaknesses into the new structure, making them harder—and more expensive—to fix later. “Once the appointed date is gazetted, there is no rewind button,” a senior engineer said. “If the foundation is flawed, the entire structure will suffer.”

Meanwhile, according to energy analyst, Dr. Vidhura Ralapanwe, electricity sector reforms must be grounded in technical and financial reality, not driven by administrative timelines.

He has cautioned that implementing structural changes without correcting underlying governance and cost issues risks destabilising the sector and undermining public confidence.

CEBEU officials reject claims that the union is resisting reform. They say engineers are being sidelined in decision-making while being held responsible for system performance. “We are accountable for keeping the system running, but our professional warnings are being ignored,” one engineer said. “That is not reform; it is reckless governance.”

With the Minister yet to gazette the appointed date, tensions within the power sector are rising sharply.

Engineers say the government now faces a stark choice: engage with professionals and fix the problems first—or brace for confrontation in a sector where disruption will have coutrywide consequences.

By Ifham Nizam ✍️

News

Navam Perahera and sacred relics exhibition at Gangaramaya

Published

9 hours ago

2026/01/25

Thilina Walpola

The annual Colombo Navam Maha Perahera, along with an exhibition of sacred relics brought from India, will be held at Gangaramaya Vihara in Hunupitiya, featuring a series of religious observances, according to Most Venerable Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thera.

Addressing a media briefing on Friday, the Venerable Thera said the Perahera will take place on January 31 and February 1, commencing at 7.30 p.m. and concluding before 10.00 p.m., after parading through the streets of Colombo.

He said specially decorated floats have been prepared to depict key historical events, enabling foreign visitors to better understand Sri Lanka’s cultural and religious heritage. The floats will portray significant moments such as the arrival of Arahat Mahinda, the bringing of the Sri Maha Bodhi, and the arrival of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and will be performed by leading local artistes.

The procession is expected to feature around 8,000 dancers and elephants, representing a wide range of traditional dance forms.

The exhibition of sacred relics from the Devnimodara Shrine in India will be held at Gangaramaya Vihara from February 4 to 11. The Venerable Thera urged devotees to visit the temple dressed in white and to refrain from bringing valuables or large items of luggage. He added that necessary facilities have been arranged to accommodate the large number of devotees expected.

Meanwhile, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi said a mobile application will be introduced to inform devotees of the approximate date and time allocated for venerating the Sarvagna Dhathu, in a bid to manage crowds more efficiently.

Senior DIG in charge of Colombo G. Nishantha de Zoysa said a special security plan has been implemented with the assistance of the tri-forces, in accordance with instructions from the Ministry of Public Security and the Inspector General of Police. He added that a comprehensive traffic management plan, including alternative routes, has been prepared, and that detailed police announcements will be issued shortly. The Senior DIG also advised the public not to carry large luggage, jewellery, mobile phones, or other valuables when visiting the exhibition.