September 27, Colombo (LNW): Authorities are moving to establish dedicated committees in 15 fishing districts to strengthen efforts against illegal fishing and other unlawful activities involving fishing vessels.
The proposed committees will operate in key coastal districts including Negombo, Chilaw, Puttalam and Mannar, with the Director General of Fisheries and the relevant District Secretary serving jointly as chairpersons.
The initiative was discussed at a meeting held at Parliament on the 25th, attended by Fisheries, Aquatic and Marine Resources Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Deputy Minister Rathna Gamage and Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara.
The district-level bodies are expected to bring together government officials, law enforcement agencies and representatives of the fishing community. Their membership will include the District Secretary, District Assistant Director of Fisheries, a Fisheries Coordinating Officer appointed by the Fisheries Minister, representatives of fisheries organisations, and officials from the Sri Lanka Police, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Coast Guard and the National Aquaculture Development Authority.
Officials from the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency and other relevant agencies may also be brought into the committees when their expertise is required.
During the discussions, particular emphasis was placed on tackling fish poaching in waters off the Eastern Province. The authorities also considered the need for stronger preventive measures to reduce accidents at sea and improve the safety of people working in the fishing sector.
The new district-based approach is intended to improve coordination between agencies and allow illegal fishing concerns to be addressed more directly at local level.
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