Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, Rajitha Senaratne said he suspected some of the ministry’s local area officials of being complicit in the killing of a large number of dolphins in Kalpitiya last week.
Speaking to The Nation, Dr.Senaratne claimed there was a ‘mafia’ behind such activities as they could not take place without the knowledge and involvement of officials in the area.
“How else could these people go out to sea, kill so many dolphins using illegal means and return to shore?” he queried.
The minister said political pressure might also be a problem as the illegal fishing ‘mafia’ had powerful backers prompting officials to turn a blind eye to such activities.
He said he had visited the area on Friday (2) to see himself the scene and added he summoned the navy, police and officials from his ministry assigned to the area to discuss the issue. “The President called me after he was made aware of the incident and asked me to take all necessary steps to prevent such an incident from reoccurring,” he said. Dr. Senaratne said 28 dolphins had been confirmed dead so far.
According to the minister, dolphins were allegedly killed using both dynamite and banned ‘Laila Fishing Nets’, in Sri Lanka.
“If dynamite was found on some of the suspects, the police should have produced them before courts under the Explosives Act as the suspects would not be able to post bail,” the minister said, adding that had not been done in this particular case.
Dr Senaratne stressed the law would be strictly enforced against the suspects and said he had requested the Navy to eradicate the slaughter of dolphins by arresting the suspects at sea and handing them over to police.
However, when contacted, police spokesman SSP Prishantha Jayakody said no traces of dynamite had been found with the suspects so far taken into custody. A total of 15 suspects were arrested in connection with the incident and were remanded till February 5 after being produced before the Kalpitiya Magistrate, he said. Police also took into custody six boats, boat engines and illegal fishing gear that were used to kill the dolphins, he added. Investigations were ongoing to arrest more suspects, he said. Animal Rights activist and Attorney-at-Law, Jagath Gunawardane, noted that under section 30 of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, the punishment for killing sea mammals and harming or possessing their flesh, includes a sum of Rs.30-50,000 as bail or two to five-year long imprisonment. If the crime is severe both punishments can be imposed, he added. He further stated that suspects can be arrested without a warrant in such cases.
Chairman of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), Dr. S.G. Samarasundara, said NARA’s role in such situations was limited to notifying the police and the navy of the incidents and provide information where possible to arrest the suspects. “To a great extent, we have succeeded in helping prevent such incidents. However, some cases like this one do happen from time to time”, he noted.
Speaking on the destructive nature of the ‘Laila Net’, the NARA chairman said it was a very large and heavy net that floated down to the seabed. “Thereafter, whatever fish in the middle of the net would be left stranded,” he noted.
Source: The Nation (Sri Lanka)
