Fisheries app already helping fishermen – Deputy Minister

Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Rathna Gamage says a mobile application introduced for fishermen is already being successfully used in Sri Lanka and provides data to help make fishing activities easier.

He made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists over criticism from opposition politicians, who have claimed that the government said fishing locations would be sent to fishermen through SMS messages.

Deputy Minister Gamage said a dedicated mobile application is available for fishermen and that a significant number of fishermen in Sri Lanka are already using it successfully.

He explained that the application does not update changes in ocean currents and sea conditions second by second. However, it can provide accurate information on changes taking place over several hours or days.

The Deputy Minister said this type of technology has been in use for a long time and accused some opposition politicians of lacking a proper understanding of how it works.

He urged them “not to remain like frogs in a well, but to come out of the well and look at the world.”

Gamage said the government is continuously working to move Sri Lanka’s fisheries industry forward by introducing modern technology.

He added that the government hopes to provide even more advanced technological facilities to the fishing community in the future.