The government of Sri Lanka is to introduce new legislation to make it mandatory for fishermen operating in high seas to obtain licenses.
The government is considering to introduce the new legislation according to the country’s international commitment to prevent, deter and eliminate Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in the High Seas.
The proposed operation license issued by the Director General (DG) of Fisheries is to reportedly require local fishing boats engaged in any fishing operation in the high seas to be equipped with communications equipment which enables the DG and his staff to communicate with that boat and exercise control over its activities.
The fishing boats are required to carry the license onboard the vessel all the time.
However, the license cannot be used to engage in unauthorized fishing in waters under the national jurisdiction of another state.
The European Union (EU) last year issued a Yellow Card warning to Sri Lanka following complaints of 11 Sri Lankan vessels intruding into international waters in 2011for fishing and fishermen violating the international maritime boundary laws.
Sri Lanka however, this year got the EU adversary announcement over the allegations of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by Sri Lankan fishermen in international waters, removed.
2000, 2012 by LankaPage.com (LLC)