Sri Lanka’s Minister of Fisheries, Mahinda Amaraweera has requested for the country’s Navy and Coast Guard to take legal action against any fishermen who are caught hunting and killing dolphins or whales.
It has been reported that several fishermen are involved in this practice in the vicinity of Mirissa Fishery Harbour where there is a large population of cetaceans. The meat is then sold in the Matara area, a major city in Sri Lanka, on the southern coast of Southern Province. The Minister has also instructed that those selling the product around the markets are immediately arrested and their fishing permit revoked. Sri Lanka is becoming a major spot for watching whales and dolphins in their natural environment and Minister Amaraweera has commented that it’s the nation’s prime duty to make sure all cetaceans in these waters are protected.
