Sri Lanka received a multi-day fishing vessel monitoring system that contributes to ensure maritime security, under a financial grant from Australia.
Australian High Commissioner David Holly said the monitoring system would help in preventing illegal fishing, ensuring border protection and security in Indian Ocean Region, preventing human and drug trafficking and rescuing fishermen in distressed vessels.
The monitoring system consisting of 4,200 transponders, equipment for a monitoring centre and satellite facilities is valued at 5.38 million Australian Dollars. The monitoring centre will be set up under the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
The first set of transponders was symbolically handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Australian High Commissioner David Holly at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (16).
A total of 1,250 such transponders were installed at multi-day fishing vessels in 2015, but most of them are currently inactive. The High Commissioner drew the attention to the request made by Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda to assist in updating these transponders.
