Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 4:09 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri
Lanka.
Dec 23, Colombo: All Sri Lanka Fisher
Community Trade Union General Secretary M. Vijendra calls for the attention of
the authorities to the issue of severe environmental damage in the beaches by
certain unethical practice of ‘Ma del’ contractors.
‘Ma del’
are the big nets used for fishing in shallow waters near beaches.
Vijendra says that some ‘Ma del’ owners are
using tractors to pull the nets instead of people to save labor costs. However,
this illegal practice damages the mangrove, the sand reefs, corals and other
vital elements of the beaches, he points out.
The erroneous practice is wide spread in the
coastal belt in Kalpitiya area and goes unnoticed by the fisheries and
environmental authorities. All Sri Lanka Fisher Community Trade Union says that
immediate government intervention is needed to prevent the practice before it
is spread to the other areas as well.
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