EU fish import ban from Lanka goes into effect Wedaarachchi hopeful new govt’s appeal will get the country a breather

 

The issue of EU ban of export fish to EU territories are on effect from the 15th of January 2015. 

Although former fisheries minister, Rajitha Senarathne boasted that the MOF can revert the decision of EU ban of fishing import from Sri Lanka that was not success at all.

Now, the fishing industry mainly the multiday, deep sea fishery is in danger.

No one took serious look in to the issue and now fishers are the victims.

Maheesha Mudugamuwa of the Island news paper has written an interesting article with interviewing newly appointed Fisheries Minister[Non Cabinet Minister] Dilip Wedaarachchi on the issue.

Minister has simply put the blame on previous government and with high hopes about the new President and the Prime Minister could solve the issue.

Herman

 http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=117735

January 16, 2015, 7:42 am 

by Maheesha Mudugamuwa

After issuing a red card against Sri Lankan seafood exports in October last year, due to the country’s failure to demonstrate that it sufficiently addressed Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, the European Union (EU) began its ban yesterday (15).

The newly appointed State Minister of Fisheries Dilip Wedaarachchi yesterday told The Island that he was confident the EU would remove the ban for six months as per the request made by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Maithripala Sirisena.

The EU in 2012 also issued a Yellow Card warning to Sri Lanka following complaints of 11 Sri Lankan vessels intruding into international waters in 2011for fishing and fishermen violating the international maritime boundary laws.

Minister Wedaarachchi who is to assume duties at the Ministry today (16) said that the EU’s decision to ban Sri Lankan fish exports was due to the distrust they had of the former government.

The government had already sent a letter to EU seeking removal of its fishing ban for six months, while promising to comply with required rules and regulations during that time period, he noted.

Minister Wedaarachchi said however that the EU had not yet responded to the request.

Responding to a query, he said that he would have to find what the Ministry’s next step would be to cope with the ban after he assumed duties today.

The European Commission said last year that Sri Lanka had failed to make ‘credible progress’ toward fighting illegal fishing, including creating a scheme to punish high-seas violators.

According to the European Commission, Sri Lanka is one of the biggest exporters to the EU of high value products such as swordfish and tuna. EU imports in 2013 amounted to 7,400 MT of fish worth USD 94 million from the country.