Sri Lanka hosts IOTC meeting

by Naalir Jamaldeen

The 18th session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization commences today and concludes on Thursday 5. It is held in Sri Lanka on the initiative of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Development Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris.

The IOTC is an intergovernmental organisation established under Article 14 of the FAO constitution.

It is mandated to manage tuna and tuna-like species in the Indian Ocean.

The IOTC membership is open to Indian Ocean coastal-belt countries and other countries or regional economic integration organisations which are members of the United Nations, or one of its specialised agencies and are fishing for tuna in the Indian Ocean, Fisheries Ministry spokesman Narendra Rajapaksa told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

The meeting will be attended by over 250 delegates and observers from over 40 countries in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.

Representatives from major Distant Water Fishing Nations such as EU, Japan, Korea, France, Taiwan, and China will also attend the meeting.