Kandakuliya area in Kalpitiya that provided a large percentage of the country’s requirement of fish and was famous for salted fish is likely to be deserted by fishermen before long. it is true that the main occupation of the people of this area is fishing. Now the fishermen are in bad position as they fail to supply large stocks of fish to Colombo as in the past.
Fishermen in the area complain that with their ordinary fishing boats they engage in off shore fishing earn only a pittance to maintain their families. They pointed out that their present predicament was due to the laying of boulders by the Coast Conservation Department to prevent sea erosion.
The laying of boulders has created a huge sand dune obstructing the Kandakulikya estuary which was the gateway open to the sea and Kalpitiya lagoon. Today the fishermen who launch their boats are compelled to drag them along the sand dune with much effort. The fishermen who launched their fishing crafts at about 4 a.m. are now compelled to leave home past midnight.
According to the fishermen more than 150 boats have been damaged and only about 30 boats were in a serviceable condition. The fishermen who engaged in deep sea fishing six days a week have now reduced it to two days. A young fisherman of the area Ajith Fernando opined that it is sad that the authorities are not concerned about their predicament. He added that the government must look into their hardship and provide them relief or else they would be starved to death.
Another fisherman Terrence Elmo said that laying of boulders was an ill advised project. It created a sand dune obstructing the estuary. He urged the government to clear the estuary to allow the free movement of boats to and from the sea.
