The Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekaran, has called upon the security forces to implement appropriate measures to prevent incidents of piracy along Sri Lanka’s Eastern seaboard.
This request was made during a high-level meeting convened in Parliament on 19th June 2025. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of Defence, Members of Parliament, senior officers of the Tri-Forces, the Sri Lanka Police, and other government officials.
The discussion focused extensively on the ongoing threat of piracy in the Eastern coastal waters, particularly its impact on fishermen in the Ampara and Batticaloa districts. The adverse consequences of these activities on both the livelihoods of local fishing communities and the marine ecosystem were examined in depth.
Hon. A. Adambawa, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Ampara District Coordination Committee, had previously submitted a formal letter highlighting the detrimental effects of illegal fishing practices in the region.
Participants at the meeting emphasized the urgent need to comprehensively review the situation, enhance maritime security enforcement, and safeguard the welfare of fishing communities. It was agreed that a multi-pronged approach is essential, encompassing immediate interventions, medium-term action plans, and long-term strategic frameworks to effectively address illegal fishing and piracy in the Eastern coastal waters of Sri Lanka.
A follow-up special discussion on this matter is scheduled to take place in Batticaloa on 26th June 2025, under the chairmanship of Minister Chandrasekaran.
This session brought together the Members of Parliament from both the Government and Opposition, senior officials of the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Police, Attorney General’s Department, representatives from the Ministry of Fisheries and related agencies, as well as members of the Fishermen’s Cooperative Association.
