In a press conference with international media at Seafood Expo Global on Wednesday, 27 April, representatives of the Sri Lankan government and seafood industry detailed the efforts their country undertook to clear it of a European Commission red card that banned the export of their seafood products to the European Union.
European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella visited the expo Wednesday and personally thanked the country for its work in bringing its policies in line with EU standards, according to Rodney M. Perera, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium. In Vella’s announcement of the ban’s lifting earlier in April, he said the country “successfully reformed its fisheries governance system,” which had been cited as the main cause of the red card, issued in January 2015.
“Sri Lanka has now a robust legal and policy framework to fight illegal fishing activities,” Vella said.
Sri Lanka Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development (DFAR) Mangalika Adikari said at the expo she hopes Sri Lanka is used as a model of how a country can make serious reforms to its maritime governance in a short period of time.
“It was a passage with many challenges and obstacles, which the Fisheries Ministry and the DFAR had to face and overcome together, for ensuring that we address all the shortcomings in keeping with Sri Lanka’s international and regional obligations on the conservation and management of fishery resources,” Adikari said. “In this regard, Sri Lanka shares the same goals and aspirations of the international community, including the European Union.”
Perera praised the commitment of Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinge to the reforms and said the government would not slow its efforts with the lifting of the red card.
“The government of Sri Lanka has taken major structural reforms in the national fisheries management system…by developing new legislation, increased sanctions, improved monitoring, control and inspection and strengthening the traceability systems,” Perera said. “From now on, it can be assured Sri Lanka will be major player in this important area of sustainability.”
