Friday, February 26, 2010

Dolphin watching a big business only for some

Posted by The Editor at 3:01 PM
Shoals of Dolphins in the sea off Kalpitiya are one of the main tourist attractions in the area. However area residents pointed out that the authorities had continuously failed to meet the increasing demand for facilities provided to tourists who are there to watch these beautiful creatures.

However, the fishermen who take these tourists to areas where they can view the Dolphins, situated about 20 km off the Kalpitiya coast, are able to earn an additional income for their efforts. One of the tour guides Neil Sudath Kithsiri, who is popularly known as Dolphin Neil said “I have depended on the sea to make a living for more than 25 years. I know the areas are teeming with Dolphins and I use my knowledge to help tourists who are yearning to see these creatures up close. I need about thirty litres of diesel to take the boat out for such a trip. If tourists want to see the coral reefs as well I will need 10 extra litres. Usually we charge about Rs.7000 to see the Dolphins and Rs.10, 000 to see the coral reefs.”

Meanwhile, many tourists deal directly with the Kalpitiya Tourist Information Centre that provides information through the internet, or the business community which is prominent in the area. A social worker of Kalpitiya H.J. Fernando who expressed concern about the exploitation of tourists by these information centres said. “The fishermen are not educated enough to know about information technology. They do not know how to use the internet. This has resulted in the exploitation of tourists and fisher folk by information centres which are mushrooming everywhere. They sometimes charge more than Rs.20, 000 per trip. However they pay only Rs.5000 to the fishermen who function as tour guides.”

A resident of Kandakuliya who provides facilities to tourists to watch the Dolphins, W. Joseph Rodrigo (48) said “We do not know how much is charged from these tourists. However they pay us only about Rs.4000, which is not adequate to cover the cost of fuel and save anything to maintain our families. However, the fishermen are compelled to undertake these hires for want of other means of income.”

Chairman of the Indikele Fisheries Cooperative Society Hyacinth Fernando who expressed concern for the predicament of the fishermen said “It is the ordinary people who are subjected to exploitation during the tourist season. These fisher folk should join hands and fight against the injustice done to them.”

Chairman of Kandakuliya Cooperative Society and a social worker of the area M.I. Loyel Fernando (53) stressed the need to implement a programme to train individuals who provide facilities to watch the Dolphins. “They should be provided with training for their profession. Any such programme should include swimming practices, glass bottom boats in place of the ordinary fishing craft and computer training. At present the fishing craft used by them are not safe. Adequate protection should be provided to tourists too as they have to undertake a trip of more than 20 km out to sea,” he said.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman of Kalpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha Jude Emmanuel admitted that facilities should be provided under the supervision of the Pradeshiya Sabha and that it was the responsibility of the authorities to look into the hardships faced by fishermen who function as tour guides and provide protection to the tourists. The tour guides should obtain a licence for their boats from the North Western Environmental Ministry. However, it is sad that only one out of about 30 boats has been licensed.

However a senior official of the Tourist Board said that they were yet to establish a tourist village in the Kalpitiya area.

Source:www.dailymirror.lk

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