Monitoring Report Polonnaruwa Inland Fisheries Organization,

MONITORING CONDUCTED BY :

Mr. Pradeep Wanigasooriya
Alternative Economic Development Coordinator
National Fisheries Solidarity Movement

Polonnaruwa Inland Fisheries Organization, which centering the PARAKRAMA SAMUDRAYA is a combination of small scale inland fishers. According to that there inland fishing industry is being operated in THOPA, KALAHAGALA, BANDIWEWA, AND MA-OYA Rivers around the Parakrama Samudraya and fishers have gathered with this IFO in Polonnaruwa,

Prevailing situation in the District.

- An inactivity of the organization
- Fishing in the out season
- Use of illegal fishing nets
- Use of illegal size of fishing nets ( smaller than 3.5 inches)
- Use of illegal beach seine nets in the river and fishing in illegally churning the water of the river and such illegal fishing methods, which are adverse of the organization’s constitution are being operated relating with Parakrama Samudraya reservoir.
The activities of the organization have been collapsed and organization’s meetings are not conducted regularly. In addition to that Neither Polonnaruwa District Fisheries officer no any responsible authority have involve for resolve this matters by now.

An Inland Fisheries Organization, which is operated in centering WEERA PEDESA & KIRIMATIDAMANA in the out side of Parakrama Samudraya is properly gathering together for protecting the river and their fishery as well as managing the river.

For an example: When some political leader tried use an out boat engine in this river the inland fishers gathering could stop it without allowing him to use it in the reservoir.

- They have planned to bread fish fingerless for their river through the society
- fish
- Fish fingerless go out when overspill the river in the raining season therefore now they have taking steps to keep them in the river without drifting them out.
- They have plan to clean the river
- Using legal nets (bigger than 3.5 inches)
- According to the common agreement of the society, they have taken some activities to keep their fishery in a sustainable manner.

As a general fact, fisher women of the Polonnaruwa Inland Fisheries Organization (IFO) are attempting to develop their social and economic back ground in each family. According to that they are building some linkages with various kinds of economic activities.
All women activists of the organization have savings in the organization and they are developing savings deposits for using them for giving loans in various projects.

Projects:
1. Organic home gardens
2. Animal husbandry]
3. bulrush products
4. Bricks products and they are involving such projects for developing their family economic back grounds

“Because of National fisheries Solidarity Movement, we were able to know how to use our fishery in

sustainable manner and this is only one organization, which helps to both inland and costal fisheries industries in the country to develop it and we are willing to be as members of this organization forever “further added Mr. M. M. Nagananda (Inland fishermen – Bandiwewa Village, Polonnaruwa.)