The Fisheries Ministry, responding to our last week’s Page One story, has sent the following response:
“There was no attempt whatsoever by Britain or EU to blacklist or ban Sri Lanka’s fish exports to the European market at the recently concluded Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) sessions,” said Dr Rajitha Senararatne, Hon. Minister of Fisheries, referring to a news item which appeared in Sunday Times of 13th May, attributed to the Secretary of the Ministry. Minister stated that the note submitted to IOTC session by UK on behalf of British Indian Ocean Territories (BIOT), reported several incidences of illegal intrusion of Sri Lankan vessels to their territory, and only questioned the legality of our fleet operations in waters beyond our EEZ.
He stated that reference to “repeated instances of poaching” by our fisherman is an over statement and an insult to our fisherman at large.
Minister quoted “In fact our fleet, though consists of relatively small vessels, is the largest in number within IOTC, with over 3200 multy-day vessels out of a total of 8100 or so IOTC listed vessels in the whole of Indian Ocean, In fact several members stated at the sessions that considering the size of the fleet, the number straying in to BIOT waters is a minute fraction.
But I am not underestimating the gravity of this. However, we are bold enough to punish and take legal action against any of our vessels which violates international law, which is very much appreciated by IOTC. This is why even though 12 vessels were apprehended only two vessels are in the “IUU” list and that too only such time we take necessary legal or punitive measures against them. What Sri Lanka did was to give a road map and a tentative time frame on its own, and not under any pressure of duress, by which time the new Fisheries Act will most likely come to effect and the VMS system become operative.
There was no reference whatsoever to blacklisting of Sri Lanka as a whole, but only a temporary listing of two of our vessels in the provisional IUU list until such time Sri Lankan authorities complete legal action against them. Once this is done, and once IOTC is happy with the process, they will clear these too vessels too. IOTC is fully appreciative of our efforts so far to curtail IUU fishing and understands the intricacies of the process. It is also insensitive and callous to maintain that Sri Lanka had delayed in taking action against earlier offenders.
Referring to the statement “The 24-member IOTC was annoyed that we were yet to comply with the international regulations” Minister said that it is incorrect as it was only UK that was vocal in this regard.
Our reporter’s note
The statement attributed to Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne by his Media Secretary D.S.N Rajapakse claims the note submitted to the IOTC sessions by the United Kingdom on behalf of the British Indian Ocean Territories only questioned the legality of our fleet operations in waters beyond our EEZ, but the Ministry Secretary Damitha De Zoysa who attended the meeting has said that the BIOT complained of illegal poaching of Sri Lankan fisherman and sought to put the country on the blacklist which is more serious than only questioning the legality.
The Minister also says the statement about the ‘repeated instances of poaching’ by our fisherman is an overstatement and an insult to the fishermen at large. The Sunday Times has been reporting only the facts about poaching as there have been a number of cases of poaching which eventually results in Sri Lankan fisherman being detained for several years and the families in turn appealing to the media to report the cases in order to draw the attention of authorities.
The Ministry Secretary who has been elected as Vice Chairperson of the Compliance Committee of the ITOC who was quoted by the Sunday Times has made it clear about the implications. The Sunday Times has quoted the secretary accurately. |
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