IUU fishing: SL to impose fine of Rs. 150M.
Cabinet will endorse a memorandum seeking to increase the fines on Sri Lankan flagged fishing vessels engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in international waters to Rs.150 million and seize the vessels forthwith, Fisheries
This will be part of the government’s measures to avoid a ban by the European Commission on the import of Sri Lankan fisheries products by the EU
Minister Rajitha Senaratne said in Parliament yesterday.
This will be part of the government's measures to avoid a ban by the European Commission on the import of Sri Lankan fisheries products by the EU. The Commission had warned that it would impose this ban if the government failed to take adequate measures by January 15, 2015 to stop Lankan flagged fishing vessels from engaging in IUU fishing in international waters.
Dr. Senaratne said the European Commission wanted the government of Sri Lanka to take action regarding eight aspects, and five of them had already been dealt with. He said his ministry had even enacted legislation last November stipulating a fine of Rs.1.5 million on such vessels found guilty of IUU fishing in international waters. He said the ministry had also been asked to implement a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). "The Commission was not happy with the magnitude of this fine. They viewed this as not enough of a deterrent. They wanted us to increase the fine. We have taken steps to do so. The Cabinet is slated to approve my proposal shortly," he said
The European Commission had been concerned about the inordinate delay in implementing the VMS.
The Cabinet-appointed negotiation committee has taken four years so far. We do not have the requisite technology. In European countries, they may be able to do it within a few months. But we are unable to do it so fast as this technology is not available in Sri Lanka," he said.
The minister made these remarks during question time in response to a question by UNP MP Niroshan Perera.
The total value of Sri Lanka's fish exports to European countries stood at 74 million Euros last year.