Fishermen have requested the Government to not to hike prices of fuel. A group of fishermen also engaged in a protest in Matara demanding for fuel.
The protest was organized by the All Ceylon Fisheries Federation at the Kiralawella fishing port in Devinuwara, Matara. The protest was held demanding a solution to the problems faced by the fishing community including exemption of fishing gear from taxes and reduction of fuel prices.
Ratna Gamage, the National Organizer of the All Ceylon Common Fisheries Federation pointed out that in some areas, kerosene has not been sold for months. Emphasizing that the ocean resource is one which can earn dollars to the country, Gamage said that fuel prices have increased 5 times within the last year, in addition to the prices of fishing gear.