Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte:Parliament Complex: Special district-level committees have been established to address illegal fishing and other unlawful activities involving fishing vessels, as discussed at a recent meeting held at the Parliament Complex on September 25.

According to Ministry of Defence – Sri Lanka, the meeting was chaired by Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), and Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Rathna Gamage. Discussions focused on implementing decisions made in August to set up these committees across 15 fisheries districts.

The new committees have been established in the main fisheries districts of Negombo, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Kilinochchi, Jaffna, Chilaw, Ampara, Mullaitivu, Colombo, Galle, Puttalam, Matara, Tangalle, Kalutara, and Mannar. This initiative aims to curb illegal activities using fishing vessels in these regions.

Among those present at the dis
cussion were Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, and various high-ranking officials from the Departments of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka, the Navy, Coast Guard, and the Nautical and Tourist Division of the police.