“Sri Lanka has now successfully reformed its fisheries governance system and we are waiting until the EU Council approval comes for lifting the ban on Sri Lanka’s sea food exports to the EU, and we hope it would be a positive move, Attache Trade EU Office in Colombo Rohan Layman told The Island Financial Review yesterday “Sri Lanka was issued with a yellow card in 2012 and been listed by the Council in February 2015. By today it has amended its legal framework, strengthened sanctions and improved its fleet control, he said. The ban came into effect in February 2015 and Sri Lanka’s sea food exports plummeted 35.5 percent to $163.3 million that year compared to 2014. Sri Lanka was warned in 2012 by the EU over its failure to implement control measures in fishing adequately and comply with international and regional fisheries rules. The ban has weighed heavily on exports from Sri Lanka which used to be the second largest exporter of fresh and chilled swordfish and tuna to the EU with exports worth 74 million euros in 2013. “Sri Lanka has now a robust legal and policy framework to fight illegal fishing activities, EU Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella said in a statement issued by the EU Delegation in Colombo. It said Sri Lanka joins the growing list of countries (Ghana, Papua New Guinea, Korea, the Philippines, Fiji, Belize, Panama, Togo and Vanuatu) that have reformed their systems, following a warning by the EU on illegal fishing. EU had also warned Kiribati, Sierra Leone and Trinidad & Tobago with yellow cards as they risk being uncooperative in the fight against illegal fishing. Fisheries Ministry sources said over $100 million is lost per year following the European Union’s ban on imports of fish netted in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan government will also submit the application for the restoration of the GSP + trade cocessions to EU. It will get a positive response from the EU on this issue as well, Layman said.
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