Strict compliance of Sri Lankan flag use by vessels, monitoring:

Deep sea fisheries set to take off when EU lifts ban

by Lalin Fernandopulle

The revival of the deep sea fisheries industry is imminent as the European Union(EU) processes the ending of the ban on Sri Lankan fish product exports following Sri Lanka's compliance with EU regulations, mainly the disallowing of foreign trawlers to use the Sri Lankan flag to circumvent their own country EU export quota limits. The lifting of the ban will enable the rapid expansion of an export industry that, by 2010, prior to the ban, earned 120 million Euros from the European market alone.

The lifting of the fisheries ban will enable the rapid expansion of an export industry

EU Delegation sources in Colombo expressed satisfaction with the new measures implemented by the Government and disclosed that the ban will be lifted shortly once all matters are finalised.

Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka David Daly told the Sunday Observer that the European Commission has assessed the situation in Sri Lanka and, at a meeting a fortnight ago, proposed the lifting of the ban.

Regulatory system

"The group of fisheries ministers of the 28 member States of the EU will discuss the proposal at one of its next meetings and will make a decision. The EU expects Sri Lanka to continue to make progress on the lines it has begun functioning," Daly said. He said Sri Lanka's fisheries sector had made "considerable progress, which the European Commission has recognised". However, he said, the country should focus on developing a proper regulatory and monitoring system to ensure the fisheries industry "adheres to legal requirements".

Industry sources agreed that this comment by an EU official referred to, among other issues, the past practice of allowing foreign country vessels to abuse the Sri Lankan export quota.

National Chamber of Exporters Secretary General/CEO Shiham Marikar said EU Member countries adopt stringent measures for the import of fisheries products to the EU market particularly with regard to illegal and unregulated exploitation of fisheries resources by exporting countries. "The fisheries sector suffered severe setbacks in the past due to s due to security measures and later with the export ban. Since around 40% of Sri Lankan fish exports goes to the EU market, the lifting of the ban will be a boon to revive Sri Lankan exports, and regain lost foreign exchange earnings."

"It is important to note, the EU will continue to oversee proper implementation of the measures, and will impose the ban once again if Sri Lanka is lax on the implementation of the required measures," Marikar said. Sri Lanka should focus on large scale exploitation of fisheries resources to achieve economies of scale, and reduce cost of production to be more competitive, and also add value to the fisheries products by canning to serve high value market segments, he said

Sri Lanka’s fish exports to the EU account for around 68 percent of its total fish exports..

The 15- month ban weighed heavily on Sri Lanka's deep sea fisheries industry, which is a major exporter of fresh and chilled swordfish and tuna to the region with exports valued around 74 million Euros in 2013. Sri Lanka's sea food exports plunged around 35 percent to $163.3 million last year compared to 2014 as a result of the ban. Sri Lanka's fish exports to the EU account for around 68 percent of its total fish exports with the rest going into the United States, Japan and non EU countries. Sri Lanka was warned in 2012 by the EU over its failure to implement control measures in fishing adequately and comply with international and regional fisheries rules.

Market share

Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Secretary Mangalika Adikari said the lifting of the ban will be a boost to regain the market share in Europe. She said that Sri Lanka should now focus on reducing its post harvest loss which is currently around 35 percent to enhance the quality and quantity to export to the EU. "The focus should be on developing fish farming and the aquaculture sector to export prawns and lobsters. There is a big demand for sea cucumber in other markets," Adikari said.

"Measures will be taken with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Navy and the coast guards to o monitor suspicious Sri Lankan vessels and those of other countries.

We will ensure that fish from IUU countries will not be exported and good sea governance will be maintained," she said.

Sea Food Exporters Association Chairman Prabhash Subasinghe said the Association was excited about the impending end to the ban, and added that its members were ready to resume exports and enhance market share. "We went through a rigorous process during the past one and a half years to amend and update the regulatory framework. All fishing vessels will be monitored on-board and regulated through a robust regulatory system," Subasinghe said.

All Ceylon Fisher-folk Trade Union President Aruna Roshantha said the lifting of the ban was a welcome move that will enable fisheries exports to the EU and enhance the income of fishermen. However, the Fisheries Ministry should take steps to prevent the recurrence of the problem with a proper vessel monitoring and regulatory system.

Sri Lanka laying the groundwork for a new post-conflict identity

Ambassador David Daly's message on Europe Day 2016 :

Ambassador David Daly

Tomorrow May 9, the European Union (EU) will celebrate Europe Day. Europe Day commemorates the day in 1950 when the then French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, set out his vision for a community of nations built on shared interests and values.

The Schuman Declaration, as it came to be known, set out the underpinning principles for the establishment of the modern-day EU - an organisation with 28 Member States, a population of 500 million and the world's largest single market.

May 9, 1950 was the launch of an idea for a different type of international cooperation between European countries with the aim of breaking out of the historical cycle of war. Schuman suggested that the industries needed for war - coal, iron, steel - be managed jointly by the countries according to specific rules and with the addition of supranational institutions.

The formation of the EU in particular is a response to the devastation of World War II. Europe's nations pledged to act against any recurrence, leading "to the realisation of the first concrete foundation of a European federation indispensable to the preservation of peace."

Sixty six years on, the European Union continues to pursue the realisation of an integrated, well-functioning continent. Member states continue to debate the best ways in which the Union should function both at home and around the world. But those first building blocks were key - they established a unified and rational approach to peacebuilding and achieving the principles of human rights and democracy.

The Sri Lanka of today has echoes of the challenges Europe faced during that pivotal period. Sri Lanka is trying to forge its own path towards a sustainable and equitable peace after three decades of armed conflict. Sri Lanka is in the enviable position of being able to win the peace by forging a strategy for national reconciliation that recognises an inclusive and collective Sri Lankan identity.

The European Union has always been a friend to Sri Lanka; we assisted the Sri Lankan people in times of adversity, providing assistance to communities to rebuild after the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, helping people in war-affected areas to reconstruct their lives. Throughout the civil war and in its aftermath, we worked with community leaders, civil society and human rights activists to press for the fundamental freedoms and values that we believe are shared by all humanity.

Now we believe the political platform exists to develop our cooperation with Sri Lanka in a wide range of fields. Sri Lanka's renewed commitment to respecting and upholding its international obligations has provided the impetus for this. The most recent evidence has been provided by the European Commission's recommendation to lift the ban on Sri Lankan fisheries exports, estimated to be worth more than €70 million to the Sri Lankan economy. A successful application for readmission to the GSP Plus scheme is another area on which we are working closely with the Government.

It should be remembered that Sri Lanka lost this access due to the callous disregard for human rights of the previous government. Now the government is again treating these issues with the seriousness that, we believe, they deserve. That is good news for all Sri Lankans. Readmission to the GSP Plus scheme would provide preferential tariff access to Sri Lanka's largest export market.

Cooperation is accelerating in other areas too. EU citizens are playing their part by being the largest source of visitors to the island, bringing in much needed revenue for the government and ordinary Sri Lankans. The recent visit by the Commissioner Mimica highlighted the cooperation the EU has to address rural poverty and also to create jobs by adding value to Sri Lanka's exports.

This is all good news and I hope to see further progress in advancing national reconciliation and laying the firm constitutional foundation that is appropriate for twenty-first century Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan people and their leaders have the opportunity to remake what the country stands for, to establish a set of underlying principles that unify rather than separate and re-establish the country as a leader in Asia and the South Asian region. That should include an end to the cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment that is the death penalty.

It should also include outlawing discrimination against all communities, including those of a different of sexual orientation. I welcome the consultation that is underway. The pitfalls are many, but the endpoint can really be worthwhile.