News
Fishing vessel operators bemoan unbearable costs
View(s):By Wasantha Ramanayke
The price of fresh fish has doubled compared with the year before as a result of high operating costs that multi-day vessel owners have to bear, operators in the fishing sector say.
According to the Department of Census and Statistics, the price of commonly consumed species such as skipjack and yellowfish tuna (balaya and kelawalla, respectively) have doubled from last year to Rs. 1,600 and Rs. 2,611 per kilo, respectively.
A kilo of sardinella (salaya) sells at Rs. 822 compared with Rs. 339 a kilo in July 2021, an increase of 142%.
Supun of Ahangama, a chef turned multi-day fishing boat owner, attributed the high prices of fish to rising operating costs including diesel and labour.
“Previously, I could send my boat to sea four times compared to what it costs now to send it out once,’’ he said. “It only cost me Rs 333,000 to pump 3,000 litres of diesel last year, whereas today it costs me around Rs. 1.3 million. The total cost of a month’s voyage was around Rs. 400,000 last year, but now it is around Rs.1.6 million.’’
Multiday trawlers at Dikovita fisheries harbour. Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Feeding the crew would cost Rs. 80,000 before, but now the cost is Rs. 150,000, he said.
Drinking water would cost him Rs 6,000 and this has increased to Rs. 26,000. Large ice cubes cost him Rs. 80,000 earlier, but now he needs to spend Rs. 160,000.
He said there were about 500 multi-day fishing boats anchored in Galle fisheries harbour and of these, 30 are under repair after the storm in July.
“My boat was damaged overnight as the harbour is congested,” Mr Supun added.
The rich and the powerful who own several boats refill their boats without waiting too long thanks to corrupt officials, he alleged.
“The wait for the ordinary and the law-abiding man could be forever. I had to keep my boat in the fisheries harbour for a month and half because there was no diesel.’’
He had not been able to repay loans and has to pay his crew.
Mr Lal (not his real name), an owner of two multi-day fishing boats, said he will have to sell his boats because of rising costs of fuel and repairs.
One of his boats, which returned to shore in mid-July, is under repairs. “You need to be in a waiting list to get it repaired inside the harbour,” he said.
A major repair had cost him nearly Rs. 1.5 million. “There are major repairs to the boat several times a year particularly after storms and now the cost is unbearable. The price of acetone, fibre, fibre gum and so on has increased three to four fold, and so are the charges of technicians. If one can’t be on the waiting list, then he has to take it out of the harbour to some other place paying an additional Rs. 300,000 to Rs 400,000.’’
His place in the fuel queue is closer to the 100th spot and he would not be able to fill up unless he bribes the official there, he said.
He said that only 1,000 litres of diesel is given at a time and that this is barely enough even for one journey. He needs at least 3,000 litres.
“One needs to bribe officials with about Rs. 10,000 to get 1,000 litres more. This is a scam and a mafia,” he said.
Some owners are disgusted with this and wanted to sell their boats, he said. But, most are indebted and they have no choice but to carry on.
Fish accounts for 70% of the animal protein intake of Sri Lankans and the fisheries sector plays a key role in easing hunger and malnutrition, according to research by Professor Upali Amarasinghe of the Kelaniya University. Fisheries Department statistics show per capita fish consumption of Sri Lankans is 13 kilos a year.
Experts warned recently of high levels of malnutrition among Sri Lankan children and adults. They warned that this could further worsen if food prices did not ease.
UNICEF said last June that more than 5.7 million people, including 2.3 million children, need humanitarian assistance. Its appeal pointed out that Sri Lanka is among the top 10 countries with the highest number of malnourished children and that the numbers were expected to rise further.
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