Bundala fish are dying due to waste from salterns, say fishermen

Flora and fauna at the Bundala National Park are dying due to waste from the salterns being released into the lagoon, area residents say.

A large number of birds that inhabit the park and migratory birds are also under threat as their source of food, fish in the lagoon are dying due to the pollution,

About 200 fishing families in the area whose livelihood depends on the fish in the lagoon are also getting desperate as they say that fish both big and small have started dying in the past few days.

They say that the waste had been released into the lagoon couple of couple of months back and first the plants started dying and now the fish.

The Bundala National Park on Sri Lanka’s south-eastern coast, is known for its water birds lagoons, water reeds, forest and wildlife.

The ecological significance of Bundala National Park as a habitat for water birds, and, in particular, migratory shorebirds was recognized when it was named a RAMSAR site in 1991.

A spokesman for the fishermen, P. Chandrasena, said about 200 fishermen fish in this lagoon

and about 5000 people depend on them. Now that their means of livelihood is under threat they should be paid compensation. He said they saw with their own eyes salt water being released into the lagoon although they were told it was rain water.

An official from The Department of Wildlife Conservation said the matter would be looked into.