"Lal Fernando pointed out that people simply are unable to buy the way they used to buy. Just think, do people only eat fish? Don’t they need to buy vegetables and rice? Does their diet include only fish? And also don’t they need to travel by bus or trishaw? In the last few months’ bus fares and trishaw fares have increased in such a way that people are struggling to find a way to save money. Today in Sri Lanka what can Rs. 1,000 really buy you? "
Throughout the centuries seafarers and fishermen have mesmerized us with their tales of fascinating sea creatures. In an inn, before a crackling wood fire, there was a fearsome pleasure in these blood chilling tales. These seafarers and fishermen claimed to have seen gigantic sea serpents and also the monstrous Kraken! What we do know is that the ocean plays a greater role in our lives. Not just to feed our imagination. The oceans provide us with food. It is a source of income for the fisher folk. It keeps people in business. Oceans are crucial for economic growth and food production. Sea food is even good for your health. However today in Sri Lanka, fishermen face a greater threat than any sea serpent or Kraken. The Sri Lankan fishing industry has been badly affected by the economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Daily News spoke to some fish sellers to find out how this economic crisis has impacted their livelihoods.
The fish sellers’ lament was that the lack of fuel has affected all areas of the fishing industry. Sudath, said that fish sellers are unable to travel to the workplace due to transportation problems. You can even see on the news how people are hanging out of the buses and trains, risking their lives, because they need to go to the office.
“Business is at an all-time low. How can the fish be distributed when there is no fuel? When the fishermen have no Kerosene, how can they go into the waters to catch fish? Without diesel how can the lorries run? How can lorries bring the fish to Colombo when there is no diesel? If there is petrol and diesel then the fish can be brought to Colombo,” said Sudath.
Sandun pointed out that another issue connected to the fishing industry is that people are short of cash. He too pointed out that without Kerosene the fishermen are helpless. The fish are there, but there is no way to take the boats into the waters.
“The lack of fuel is the main problem here. If we had enough fuel in this country, all of these problems will vanish. Because of the inability to obtain fuel, only a very few boats can actually make it to the waters, so naturally the prices rise. The supply of fish that come to the markets has declined. Then the other problem is distribution. We need fuel to distribute the fish. So the lorry drivers raise their prices.
So as fish sellers we are facing an uphill battle. People may think we are making a profit, but that is not true. We are really finding it difficult to make a living,” said Sandun.
People are also unwilling to buy more. The Cost of Living goes up day-by-day, prices rise. Yet one’s income does not. People have to live within their means. People need to cut down on their expenses.
Lal Fernando pointed out that people simply are unable to buy the way they used to buy. Just think, do people only eat fish? Don’t they need to buy vegetables and rice? Does their diet include only fish? And also don’t they need to travel by bus or trishaw? In the last few months’ bus fares and trishaw fares have increased in such a way that people are struggling to find a way to save money. Today in Sri Lanka what can Rs. 1,000 really buy you? Fernando also pointed out that the workforce in many workplaces has shrunk. This too is an added challenge. Because efficiency is reduced.
“Business is down because people are unable to buy our fish. This is no game! Diesel used to cost us Rs. 6,000. Now do you know how much it costs? Rs. 20,000. Also what about the staff? When there was a workforce of five people, now there are only two. Many shops are now forced to close down. The lack of diesel is the problem here,” he said.
Krishan Janaka, pointed out that the daily supply of fish has reduced by around 2,000 – 3,000kg. The main reason is that fishermen are not able to go into the waters in large numbers.
“What we have here is a logistical problem. There is no Kerosene to take the boat into the waters, and no diesel to transport and distribute the fish. Fishermen are facing an acute shortage of catch and the little that we have cannot be properly distributed. Because the lorry drivers have to spend more on getting fuel, naturally the prices rise. So the consumers have to spend more when buying fish. What we can sell also has come down. From our side, normally 400 – 500 kg that is sold daily, now is limited to 200 – 300 kg,” he said.
Palitha is a regular customer at the markets. He spoke about something that had happened to him just a few days ago. He pointed out that another problem is when one needs to obtain instant cash. “I once went to an ATM machine, and due to the fact that there was no power, the machine did not work. This is a great inconvenience. I don’t know if the situation has been rectified, but it was not just me, a whole lot of other people were not able to get their money. This puts the customer under considerable stress. In addition to the lack of fuel, when one wants to buy fish or buy vegetables, one cannot get instant cash that is so necessary during these troubled times. My solution is having a generator, so it acts as a back-up when the power goes off. In that way the ATM is fully functional. Even when power goes off, we cannot access our e-mail, so this is mentally depressing. We are all living under extreme stress right now. The country is in very bad shape”.
Wags on social media have observed that the situation can be called – “Sri Lankans, the adventures of a family, living with no gas, no electricity, no fuel and no money”. Today when we line up in queues, you can cut the atmosphere with a knife. Even when passing by in a trishaw or car, you can feel the extreme tension. It is obvious that there needs to be a complete change when it comes to the system. People are falling down dead in queues. Recently there was even a murder. These fishermen cannot wait for a few more months or a year or two. Their problems need remedy NOW.
Pictures by Sudath Malaweera
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