Necessary measures are being taken to prevent Indian fishermen from illegally entering the country’s waters – Hon. Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources• A joint initiative between the Fisheries and Trade Ministries to sell fish through the Lanka Sathosa Chain

• Ministry of Fisheries to extend attention regarding the renovation of existing ports in the northern and eastern provinces
The Hon. Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Ramalingam Chandrasekar stated that necessary measures are being taken to prevent Indian fishermen from illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters.
He expressed these views during the first meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources which was held in Parliament, recently (07) under his Chairmanship. The Hon. Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Rathna Gamage, was also present at the Committee meeting held.
Accordingly, the Hon. Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar stated that discussion is underway with Tamil Nadu and the Indian High Commissioner to resolve this issue regarding Indian fishermen. He further mentioned that a swift resolution to this issue, which has affected local fishermen, would be provided without resorting to conflicts.
Furthermore, extensive discussions were also held on initiating a joint program between the Ministries of Fisheries and Trade to sell fish through Lanka Sathosa. Expressing his views on this matter, the Hon. Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe, stated that there are plans to expand Lanka Sathosa network in the future and that the necessary arrangements could be made to sell fish through these stores. Officials representing the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation, commenting on the matter, stated that they are looking forward to promptly implementing the required measures to sell fish through Lanka Sathosa. Accordingly, they further stated that plans are in place to package the relevant fish varieties in a manner that makes them more convenient for consumers to prepare.
During this meeting, various issues pertaining to the fisheries industry across the country were brought to the attention of the relevant officials by the Hon. Members of Parliament. Extensive discussions were held within the Committee on matters such as illegal fishing using prohibited nets and dynamite, issues related to Freshwater fisheries, and issues pertaining to domestic harbors. Expressing his views, the Committee Chair instructed the relevant officials to take necessary actions regarding the said issues. Additionally, he stated that the Ministry is paying more attention to the renovation of harbors in the Northern and Eastern provinces and is working towards resolving the existing issues.
Moreover, The Annual Report of the Fishery Board Statutory Corporation for the year 2021 and the Annual Performance Report of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for the year 2023 were also considered and approved in the Committee.
This committee meeting was attended by Hon. Ministers, Hon. Deputy Ministers, Committee Members including Hon. Members of Parliament, and officials from the Ministery of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, among others.