Government Turns Up the Heat on Illegal Fishing Networks
A high-stakes meeting at the Parliament Complex yesterday (17 Feb) signaled a renewed crackdown on illegal fishing and shadowy maritime operations in Sri Lankan waters. The session was co-chaired by Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara, and Deputy Fisheries Minister Rathna Gamage.
Leaders pledged to tighten the net on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by ramping up surveillance, stepping up enforcement drives, and closing loopholes exploited by rogue operators. Discussions spotlighted cross-border poaching, destructive bottom trawling that ravages seabeds, illegal radio frequency usage, and smuggling rings operating under the guise of fishing expeditions.
Authorities vowed to crack down hard on local vessels that switch off their Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) to slip under the radar while engaging in unlawful fishing and illicit diving. License suspensions and tougher sanctions were flagged as immediate countermeasures.
Top brass from the Navy, Police, Fisheries Ministry, Coastal Conservation agencies, Telecommunications regulators, and Customs joined lawmakers in mapping out a coordinated offensive to safeguard maritime borders.
The meeting sent a clear message: Sri Lanka is stepping up patrols, tightening oversight, and standing firm in its bid to protect marine resources and uphold maritime security.
