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Legislation to license fishing in the high seas
Government will shortly seek parliament approval for new legislation that would make it mandatory for those fishing in the high seas to obtain licences for their operations.
The new laws are being enacted in keeping with Sri Lanka’s obligations under international agreements to prevent, deter and eliminate Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in the High Seas.
‘High Seas’ means areas beyond Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, or beyond waters within the national jurisdiction of any other State.The operation licence issued by the Director General (DG) of Fisheries, will 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.
They are also required to carry the licence onboard the vessel all the time, but it cannot be used to engage in unauthorised fishing in waters under the national jurisdiction of another State. However, the law does not allow for fishing operation licences issued to foreign fishing boats to fish in Sri Lanka Waters. “Therefore fishing in Sri Lanka’s waters by any foreign vessel would be treated as IUU fishing, and legal action taken against those engaged in such fishing activities, under the Foreign Fishing Boats Act.
The Bill also provides for educational programmes undertaken for those engaged in fishing, to create awareness of the measures taken by the government to conserve fish stocks and minimise pollution.
Those who act in contravention of the terms of the licence are liable to be charged in a magistrate court, and be liable to prison terms of up to two years, as well as fines of up to Rs1.5 million. The Bill will be taken up for debate in the first week of November.
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