CEJ files petition to regulate gillnet industry

Colombo, February 19 (Daily Mirror) - The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), led by directors Hemantha Withanage and Dilena Pathragoda, has filed a legal petition calling for immediate action to ensure the gillnet fishing industry operates in an environmentally sustainable manner, in line with existing laws and regulations.

The case names several high-ranking officials as respondents, including the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, its Secretary, the Director General of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Director General of the Department of Coastal Conservation, the Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Director General of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), the Director General of the National Aquatic Resources Agency (NARA), and the Inspector General of Police, among others.

In their petition, the CEJ highlighted that current mechanized fishing practices, particularly those using tractors, have caused significant harm to the ecological conditions and balance of Sri Lanka’s coastal zones.

The petition seeks strict enforcement of existing laws, the development of environmentally friendly fishing practices, and immediate measures to ensure that gillnet and other coastal fishing industries operate only in accordance with legal and environmental standards.