News

Fishermen lament fish imports!

Published

3 years ago

November 28, 2022

editor

The fishing industry is facing destruction due to the Ministry of Fisheries allowing the importation of fish during the ‘Valala’ Season when there is ample fish harvest, Secretary of the All-Island Multi-Day Boat Owners’ Association Ruwan Fernando said.

He said that no matter how many requests are being made to the authorities to prevent the importation of fish during the ‘Valala’ fishing season from October to April, when there are abundant fish harvests in the seas around Sri Lanka, they do not heed.

He said the fishermen who are helpless due to high fuel cost will suffer further due to the fall in local fish prices when fish are imported.

Mr. Fernando said that multi-day fishing vessels have been severely affected by the importation of Cupra and Thalapath, while the fishermen who catch Linna have been severely affected by the importation of Salmon.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Fisheries is also of the opinion that the import of fish should be restricted, its Secretary Indu Ratnayake said.

She said that a tax of Rs.400 has already been imposed on imports and only essential types of fish are allowed to be imported since fish produce is abundant.

However, government sources said the import of fish has been increased due to the excessive increase in the price of fish by the local fishermen in the past.

News

Nishantha Wickremesinghe remanded (Update)

Published

54 minutes ago

June 27, 2025

editor

Former Chairman of SriLankan Airlines Nishantha Wickremesinghe has been remanded until July 01.

————————————————-
(Previous News : June 27, 2025 4.41pm)

2 ex-heads of govt. institutions, arrested

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has arrested two former Chairmen on corruption charges.

Former Chairman of the Fisheries Corporation – Upali Liyanage and former SriLankan Airlines Chairman – Nishantha Wickremesinghe have been arrested in this manner.

However, Liyanage, who was produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayathunga, was released on three sureties amounting to Rs. 5 million.

News

Body of undergrad who went missing at Port City beach, found (Update)

Published

4 hours ago

June 27, 2025

editor

The body of the undergraduate who had gone missing at the Port City beach, has been found.

The body was found during a search by divers.

(Previous News on 27th June 2025 at 10.06 am)

Undergrad goes missing at Port City beach while snorkeling

A 24-year-old university student from Asgiriya, Gampaha, has gone missing yesterday morning (June 26) while swimming in the sea off the Colombo Port City beach.

According to the police, the student, a resident of Gampaha, was part of a group of students from the Universities of Colombo and Moratuwa who had visited the artificial beach and engaged in snorkelling.

The student failed to resurface, prompting a complaint to the Colombo Port Police.

Lifeguards later recovered the snorkeling gear believed to be belonging to the missing student.

A joint search operation involving Navy divers from the Colombo Port and Rangala Navy Division is currently underway. Further investigations are underway by the Colombo Port Police.