President instructs officials to get EU ban on fish exports removed

Saturday, 1 November 2014 00:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday (30) has instructed the relevant officials to do a thorough study on the European Union’s ban of Sri Lanka’s fishery products exports and get the ban removed. The President also instructed the Navy to assist in preventing illegal fishermen entering the Sri Lankan seas and to curb the use of illegal equipment for fishing. He gave these instructions at a discussion held with the representatives of Fishermen Associations at Temple Trees on Thursday. The fishermen’s representatives at the meeting have presented their grievances to the President for consideration. The President has advised the Minister of Fisheries to prepare a proper program to purchase fish productions from the Fisheries Corporation at a certified price and as a relief to the fishermen has decided to reduce the registration charges for boats fishing in the deep sea from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 5,000. Ministers Basil Rajapaksa, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and Professor G.L. Peiris were present at the meeting.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa meets fishermen’s’ union members recently at the Temple Tress - Pic by Chandana Perera