Cabinet approves VMS for 1,500 fishing vessels

Colombo, July 7 (Daily Mirror) - The Cabinet has approved a proposal to expand the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) to cover around 1,500 multi-day and one-day fishing vessels operating in Sri Lanka.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, along with other illegal activities such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling carried out using fishing vessels, have become a major concern for fishing nations worldwide.

As a member of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, Sri Lanka is required to ensure that all fishing vessels engaged in international waters are continuously monitored through a Vessel Monitoring System.

At present, out of around 5,200 registered multi-day fishing vessels in Sri Lanka, about 4,200 vessels have been equipped with monitoring systems provided under a grant from the Australia Government.

Following a decision made in 2021, all newly registered multi-day fishing vessels are required to install VMS equipment, with vessel owners responsible for purchasing and installing the systems.

However, around 1,500 vessels, including multi-day and one-day fishing vessels registered before January 1, 2021, are currently operating without VMS facilities in local and, in some cases, international waters.

Of these vessels, around 400 boats exceeding 34 feet in length are capable of engaging in fishing activities in international waters or could potentially be used for other purposes. The remaining vessels were also found to lack the technical capacity, including sufficient engine power and fuel capacity, to remain at sea for extended periods.

Accordingly, the Cabinet approved the proposal submitted by the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Marine Resources to make the installation of suitable monitoring systems compulsory for these 1,500 vessels, with the Government covering the cost of installation.