The Cabinet has approved a proposal to expand the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) to cover multi‑day and one‑day fishing vessels across Sri Lanka, strengthening efforts to curb illegal fishing and related maritime crimes.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic Resources, and Ocean Resources, the move targets 1,500 vessels registered before January 1, 2021 that remain without monitoring devices.
Among them are 400 vessels over 34 feet in length capable of operating in international waters, while the remaining 1,100 lack the technical capacity for extended deep‑sea operations.
Sri Lanka, a member of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, is required under international regulations to ensure continuous monitoring of vessels engaged in fishing in international waters.
Currently, 4,200 of the country’s 5,200 registered multi‑day vessels are already fitted with VMS devices, provided earlier as a grant by the Australian Government. Since January 2021, installation of monitoring equipment has been mandatory for all newly registered multi‑day vessels.
The Cabinet decision ensures that the remaining 1,500 vessels will also be equipped with suitable monitoring systems, with the government bearing the installation costs. (Newswire)