Indo-Lanka fisheries ministers to discuss bilateral issues today

Monday, 2 January 2017 00:48 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

in-6 By Shanika Sriyananda

Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera will meet his counterpart Agriculture and Fisheries Minister of India, Radha Mohan Singh, in Colombo today to discuss fishing issues between the two countries.

Minister Amaraweera said that ministerial discussions would be held to further discuss the decisions taken by the Ministry Secretaries last Saturday.

“Ministry secretaries from both countries met last Saturday in New Delhi to discuss longstanding fishing issues, especially Tamil Nadu fishermen violating Sri Lanka’s International Maritime Boundary (IMBL),” he told the Daily FT.

He said that Sri Lanka needed an urgent solution to prevent Tamil Nadu fishermen who were trespassing the IMBL as the country loses nearly Rs. 9 billion annually due to poaching.

When asked about the proposed fine system for vessels which were crossing the IMBL illegally, he said the fine would be imposed considering the length of the vessels.

“We follow the EU regulations for maritime offences and the minimum fine will be close to Rs. 9 million,” he said.

According to Minister Amaraweera, the proposed amendments to the Fisheries’ and Aquatic Resources Act 2 of 1996, to impose fines for illegal vessels, have been sent to the Attorney General’s Department.

However, he said that the new system of fines would not be a move against India but would be applied to any vessel from any country which violated the country’s maritime law.

in-6-1

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.