Illegal Blast Fishing Devastates Marine Ecosystems: Sri Lanka’s Battle Against the Explosive Trade
The aftermath of a blast is devastating: blood turning the ocean murky, fish missing eyes or organs, and wounded fish swimming away to die elsewhere. Blast fishing, a destructive and illegal method that uses dynamite or explosives to kill or stun fish, is wreaking havoc on marine life worldwide. And Sri Lanka is no exception.
Wilson Perera, a fisher and supplier in Salpayaru, a picturesque fishing village near Trincomalee, describes how blast fishing has decimated the once teeming marine life in the area. Coral reefs, marine plants, and animals within a 100-meter radius of the blast are obliterated. Despite being illegal, this destructive practice continues to thrive across the island.
According to a study, between 2006 and 2016, there were 850,000 blast fishing incidents recorded in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and the Philippines alone. The explosions, resembling bomb blasts, echo near the surface, while targeting deeper fish can be nearly silent. The explosives are often tied to rocks or chunks of iron to reach deeper waters.
Although blast fishing provides short-term economic advantages, such as requiring only two or three people instead of a larger fishing crew, it ultimately hurts fishers who prefer traditional methods like outboard motor (OBM) fishing and beach seine. The explosions kill juveniles and eggs, contributing to declining fish stocks. Blast fishing also blocks schools of fish from reaching the shore, affecting beach seiners.
Jude Ranjith, another fisher from Salpayaru, explains that blast fishers can collect large volumes of fish, sometimes up to 1,000kg per trip, compared to the 50-60kg of fish caught through OBM fishing. As a result, fishers relying on traditional methods are experiencing reduced catches and income.
Blast fishing takes place during the day, making it easier to spot dead fish, but also occurs at night when boat lights are used to attract fish. The fish gather around the lights and are trapped in nets, before the boat moves away and the fish are killed with a blast. This, in turn, leads to the loss of coastal jobs for traditional fishers.
Described as the “goose that lays golden eggs” for illegal fishers, blast fishing provides a quick and efficient way to collect large volumes of fish. It is also incredibly wasteful, as only the immediately visible fish are collected before authorities arrive. More than half of the fish killed by dynamite are left behind.
Dr. Augustine Sosai’s research highlights the heavy damage caused by dynamite to corals in north-west Sri Lanka over nearly 50 years of blast fishing. Vulnerable species like dugongs, turtles, and dolphins are among the casualties. The use of explosives is banned under Sri Lanka’s Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act and the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance. However, enforcement remains a challenge.
Efforts to tackle blast fishing in Sri Lanka and other affected areas face obstacles, including poverty, ineffective community-led initiatives, and a lack of government support. Enforcing the existing laws requires increased monitoring and deployment of enforcement officers at blast fishing hotspots.
The destructive trade continues to persist, but raising awareness about the devastating consequences of blast fishing and implementing stricter enforcement measures are crucial steps towards protecting our marine ecosystems.
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