PHOTO 2024 10 30 13 57 04 10The sixth Officer Level Meeting of the Joint Working Group on Fisheries between India and Sri Lanka was held in Colombo on the 29th of October 2024.

The main objective of the Working Group is to prevent illegal fishing activities by Indian fishing vessels in Sri Lankan waters in the North and East areas of Sri Lanka. The Working Group, which met for the last time in March 2022, met again after a lapse of nearly two and half years.

The representatives of the two countries discussed the strengthening of joint patrolling of law enforcement authorities of both countries to prevent the entry of Indian vessels into Sri Lankan waters, the expeditious release of fishermen arrested by both countries after completion of legal proceedings, strengthening of hotline maintained by coast guards of both countries, the status of investigations into deaths of Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters and conducting of joint research related to the fisheries sector by the research institutes of both countries.

The Sri Lankan delegation emphasized the severe damage caused to marine resources by Indian fishing vessels using mechanical bottom-trawling in Sri Lankan waters. They also urged for swift action on the request for safe passage through Indian waters for Sri Lankan multi-day vessels traveling to and from the Arabian Sea.

Both sides agreed to hold regular meetings of the Joint Working Group on Fisheries and monitor the progress of the agreed-upon matters.

The Sri Lankan delegation was comprised of several senior officials including the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land, Livestock, Irrigation, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, M.P.N.M. Mr. Wickremasinghe, Additional Secretary of Fisheries Dhammika Ranatunga, Director General of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Susantha Kahawatta, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Niluka Kadurugamuwa, Additional Solicitor General Vikum De Abrew, Additional Solicitor General Azard Navavi and Commodore A.D. Weerasinghe of Sri Lanka Navy. Indian Fisheries Secretary Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Santosh Jha, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs of India Shri Puneet Agarwal, Joint Secretary of Indian Fisheries Neetu Prasad, and several others participated in the discussion on behalf of the Government of India.

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