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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in close collaboration with the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources (DFAR) recently carried out a support mission in Sri Lanka during which a review of fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) was carried out, together with the provision of legal support. The purpose of this mission was to take stock of current arrangements and assess the extent to which these enable the country to meet its obligations as a port, flag, coastal and market State and support national capacity to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The MCS review examined a range of MCS related topics, grouped across 8 thematic areas and was guided by the FAO methodology to assess MCS systems. A field visit was made to the fishing harbour of Dikkowita, where a landing inspection was observed of a Sri Lankan pelagic longliner returned from a 50-day trip in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Discussions were held with officers from the DFAR, the Sri Lankan Navy, Coastguard, Ports Authority, Customs and the Merchant Shipping Secretariat as key authorities with interests in vessels engaged in fishing and fishing related activities and PSMA processes. The MCS review resulted in a series of recommendations, some of which will be addressed as appropriate during follow-up support activities. 

Discussions were also held with the DFAR legal officers on the status of the draft Fisheries and Aquatic resources Act vis-à-vis the Regulations in force. This MCS review and legal support was the first in-country activity in Sri Lanka under the Seventh PSMA Global Capacity Development Programme Support Project funded by the European Union.