The Navy will commence monitoring of fishing boats and multi-day trawlers in the Northern and Eastern seas using the assistance of a vessel monitoring system (VMS).
A special device which would assist in tracking the movements of vessels would be mounted onto each of the boats and trawlers in a bid to counter drug smuggling, the Fisheries Department said.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed between the Police Narcotics Bureau and the Fisheries Department for the implementation of the project.
While noting that some 5000 vessels will be monitored as the first phase of the project, a Fisheries offical added that this system is to be expanded across other areas as well.
(Reporting by Damith Wickramasekara)
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