In pictures: Fisherfolks lament; find difficult to make ends meet

The most affected segment of the public due to the X-Press Pearl debacle is the fisherfolks today with small-scale fishermen in dire straits.

As the pictures show fishing boats on the Dehiwela beach are grounded due to the fishing ban imposed and the fisher families are badly affected trying hard to make ends meet.

Ranjith Peris, Chairman of Fishing Co-op Society said that there were nearly 300 fishing families in Dhiwela.  Due to the ship accident and the ban on fishing they are facing huge problems, especially finding day to day expenses for essentials.

D.A.Mahinda Silva, Secretary Divers Society has been diving for ornamental fish in the Dehiwela area for the last 45 years. According to him around 75 divers live in the area. He urged the government to look into their grievances.

Meanwhile, in the Peliyagoda Central Fish Market small fish prices were high due to the short supply.

Fish retail vendors using  bicycles mostly blame the low sales on the prices of the small fish, though authorities claim that the prices are low.

(Text, pix and video by Pushpa Kumara)