Workshop for judges on illegal fishing held at Southern Naval Command

A workshop, organized by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization for the benefit of judges, was held at the auditorium of the Southern Naval Command on 29th September. The event was presided over by the Commander Southern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Kapila Samaraweera.

A cross section of District Court judges and magistrates across from the country took part in this awareness programme that shed light on illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing practices. Subsequently, the team of judges who took part in the workshop got onboard SLNS Jayasagara to get first-hand experience as to how SLN vessels detect and apprehend fishermen for engaging in illegal fishing activities.

The event was also attended by the Deputy Area Commander of Southern Naval Command, Commodore Ranjith Premarathna, the Training Commander and Commanding Officer SLNS Nipuna, Captain Sanjeewa Perera, the Director Operations Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Captain YR Seresinghe, the Command Operations Officer (South), Commander Sampath Jayamuni, the Fisheries Director of Galle and Legal Officer of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization and a host of its officials.