State Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Dilip Wedaarachchi has instructed to the Director General of the Fisheries Department to introduce new laws expeditiously prevent the multi-day vessels dumping waste material into the sea. He also emphasized the importance of a regulated process in implementing such laws.

Multi-day vessels need to be checked before leaving the port and also be rechecked on returning to the port whether all the items taken to sea are brought back. The State Minister also emphasized the necessity of keeping a bin in every vessel to put waste like polythene and plastics. A programme will be initiated jointly with the local government bodies to dispose of such waste brought to land by fishing vessels. This process of due to be commenced considering the destruction caused to coral reefs and marine eco-systems by the disposal of waste to the sea.

Wedaarachchi further mentioned that the support of the SL Navy will be sought in implementing this programme. The coral reef cleaning programme will also be continued in protecting the coral reefs.