Sri Lanka’s Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has issued new regulations for multi-day fishing trawlers transiting the Maldivian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) en route to or from the Arabian Sea, warning operators that non-compliance could result in vessel detention and heavy financial penalties imposed by Maldivian authorities.
Director General Susantha Kahawatta said applications to transit the Maldivian EEZ must now be submitted to the Department at least 96 hours — four days — before a vessel enters Maldivian maritime boundaries.
Applications must be accompanied by the vessel’s registration certificate, a valid departure permit, full crew details, a photograph of the vessel and a map indicating the intended entry and exit points within Maldivian waters. The Department will process the paperwork before forwarding clearance requests to Maldivian authorities.
Kahawatta warned that trawlers caught operating in Maldivian waters without prior permission — or violating the country’s maritime laws during transit — will be detained by Maldivian security agencies, and that significant penalties must be paid before vessels are released. “The Department of Fisheries will not be able to intervene or represent fishing vessels in such legal matters,” he said.
Multi-day Sri Lankan vessels routinely cross the Maldivian EEZ on their way to rich tuna and pelagic grounds in the Arabian Sea, a route that has long produced diplomatic friction when Sri Lankan trawlers stray into Maldivian territorial waters. The 96-hour advance notice requirement is intended to give both governments time to verify vessel details and reduce the risk of inadvertent incursions.
Operators have been asked to ensure compliance to “avoid significant financial and operational losses arising from violations.”
Source: Ada Derana.
