Ministers cannot ban livelihoods at will – Opposition Leader

08-Feb-2026

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Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stated that ministers cannot arbitrarily ban livelihoods without scientific assessments or alternative income sources for affected communities.

He made the remarks while meeting coastal seine fishermen protesting peacefully near the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

Despite Sri Lanka’s 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone, the fishing sector contributes only 1.4% to GDP, largely due to inadequate protection of marine resources, he said. He criticized the lack of scientific evaluation before imposing restrictions and stressed that policy-makers lack clarity on the sector.

Premadasa also said the government has failed to develop a national fisheries policy and lacks the technology needed for sustainable use of marine resources. He vowed to raise the issue in Parliament and continue advocating for fishermen, accusing the government of failing to prevent foreign vessels from exploiting Sri Lanka’s marine resources.