Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ramalingam Chandrasegar, has held a productive discussion with the Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Matthew Duckworth, on rebuilding Sri Lanka’s fisheries sector following the recent floods.
During the meeting at the Ministry, the Minister explained in detail the severe impact of erratic weather conditions on the fisheries sector, particularly on small-scale fishing communities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. He highlighted the extensive damage caused to fishing nets, equipment and boats, which has significantly affected the livelihoods of fishermen in these regions.
In response, High Commissioner Duckworth assured that the Australian Government would explore all possible avenues to provide assistance to the affected fishing communities.
Discussions also focused on the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) donated by the Australian Government to Sri Lanka’s Department of Fisheries. The High Commissioner noted that the system plays a vital role in monitoring fisheries activities and reaffirmed Australia’s willingness to consider further support to ensure the system’s continued and sustainable operation.
Following the discussions, the Australian High Commissioner and the First Secretary of the Australian High Commission visited the Vessel Monitoring System unit at the Department of Fisheries and observed its operations firsthand.
The meeting further strengthened bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Australia and opened up new opportunities for enhanced cooperation in the fisheries sector, the Minister stated.
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