Govt. intensifies crackdown on illegal fishing and maritime crimes

Colombo, Nov. 14 (Daily Mirror) - In a decisive move to curb rising incidents of illegal fishing and maritime poaching in Sri Lankan waters, top government and security officials convened a high-level meeting to strengthen enforcement and coordination efforts.

The discussions focused on preventive strategies, law enforcement mechanisms, and enhanced inter-agency collaboration to tackle the growing threat of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Key issues included poaching by both local and foreign vessels, delays in legal proceedings involving seized fishing boats, and the misuse of unauthorized radio frequencies. Officials also raised concern over non-fishing activities such as smuggling being carried out under the guise of fishing operations.

The meeting was co-chaired by Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara, and Deputy Minister of Defence Major General (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara.

Particular attention was paid to the troubling trend of local vessels deliberately disabling their Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) to evade detection and engage in unlawful fishing within restricted zones.

Participants emphasized the urgent need for stronger maritime law enforcement, real-time vessel tracking technology, and stricter legal action against offenders to safeguard the country’s marine resources and protect the livelihoods of legitimate fishermen.

The meeting was attended by Members of Parliament, the Secretaries to the Ministries of Defence and Fisheries, the Navy Commander, the Inspector General of Police, the Directors General of the Coast Guard and the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, the Deputy Inspector General of the Police Narcotics Bureau, and other senior officials.