VMS to make monitoring of fishing vessels 24x7 a reality

All multi-day trawlers have been fitted with transponders for Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) in line with the European Union proposal to lift the fish ban imposed on Sri Lanka in 2015, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said.

The transponders will allow officials and family members to communicate with the fishermen 24x7 and also act as a GPS tracker, ensuring the fishermen do not cross the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) or engage in illegal fishing practices.

The Rs. 400 million project sees VMS fitted in 1,450 multi-day trawlers under phase one with phase two scheduled to install the device on smaller fishing vessels soon.

Sri Lanka is believed to be the first country in South Asia to have VMS, with the only other country to have them being Indonesia, it was reported.

Ministry Spokesman Dharma Wanninayake said all Fishery harbours would have direct access to the VMS transponders to monitor activities. The project is to be launched at the Dikowita

Family members can go to the closest fishing harbour to check the location of their loved ones out at sea and even communicate with them under this system

Fishery Harbour today (26). “Family members can go to the closest Fishery harbour to check the location of their loved ones out at sea and even communicate with them under this system,” he said.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was also signed between the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources allowing the sharing of information with the Coast Guard and the Navy for emergency situations as well as help the government to monitor illegal activities at sea.

Wanninayake also said that subject Minister Mahinda Amaraweera had directed officials to bring in a Public Health Inspector to check the catch bought in by fishermen for substandard products. “We will take substandard fish into custody when it enters the harbour and ensure that it is destroyed,” he said.