Oct 22, Colombo: Sri Lanka Minister of Fisheries Rajitha Senaratne says that the mass deaths of the fish in coasts of some areas of the island were found to be due to natural causes.

He said that a report submitted by the National Aquatic Resources Agency (NARA) on the deaths had pointed out that lack of oxygen in water, increase of temperature of sea water due to monsoons and decay of plankton they eat, were found to be the causes for the fish deaths.

The Minister said that the situation has caused a drop in fish prices around the country and the Sri Lanka Fisheries Corporation has taken steps to purchase stocks to save the fishermen.

The corporation last week purchased 120 metric tons of fish from fishermen to maintain the prices in the market.