The Sri Lankan cabinet will amend the existing law to regulate fishing in the country’s waters by foreign vessels in view of the considerable increase in poaching, a media report said.
A proposal presented to the cabinet by the fisheries minister said that while legal actions can be taken against foreign vessels illegally fishing in Sri Lankan waters, a tightening of the regulatory mechanism has become necessary in view of “considerable changes at the regional and international levels.”
A committee will be appointed to draft amendments to the fisheries (regulation of foreign
fishing boats) law of 1979.
The decision to amend the law comes in the wake of heavy poaching by fishermen from India’s Tamil Nadu state. The Sri Lankan government’s policy of arresting the poachers and releasing them at the request of the Indian government has not yielded results. Even the confiscation of vessels has not deterred the fishermen.
The Sri Lankan and Indian governments have been of the view that the issue can be resolved by talks between the fishermen of the two countries. But this has not worked, despite three meetings.