Sri Lanka is set to enhance its Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) by incorporating an additional 1,500 fishing vessels, aimed at combating illegal activities such as drug trafficking, human smuggling, and unregulated fishing, according to Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. The Cabinet has recently approved this initiative, which will require the installation of monitoring systems on the newly included vessels, with the government covering the associated costs.
Presently, out of 5,200 multi-day fishing vessels registered in Sri Lanka, 4,200 are equipped with VMS technology funded by a grant from the Australian government. Vessels registered after January 2021 are required to finance their own VMS installations, while around 1,500 older multi-day and one-day vessels continue to operate both domestically and internationally without any tracking mechanisms.
Officials have highlighted that among these unmonitored vessels, 400 exceed 34 feet in length and are prohibited from entering international waters, raising alarms about their potential use for illegal purposes. The remaining 1,100 vessels, although lacking the capacity for extended sea voyages, still do not have any form of surveillance in place.
Jayatissa emphasized that while no specific vessels are identified as threats beforehand, law enforcement actions are based on targeted intelligence. “The issue is not that we know a specific portion of existing vessels is involved in such activities; rather, several arrests are executed based on credible information,” he stated.
The minister noted that comprehensive tracking would enhance maritime security and improve coordination between law enforcement agencies. “The measures we are implementing will facilitate operations for both the Department of Fisheries and the Police,” Jayatissa added.
This expansion is in accordance with regulations set forth by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, which requires continuous monitoring for all vessels operating in international waters. (Colombo/July 08/2026)
