EU ban on Lankan fish products
Wednesday, 22nd October 2014
Two major foreign companies too have expressed interest
Fisheries and Acquatic Resources Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said Japan and China, and two ‘major’ foreign companies, have already expressed interest in sourcing fisheries products from Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka will be cut off from a slice of the seafood market, the European Union, starting next January as part of the EU’s apparent sanctions on Lankan fish produce on ostensible grounds of conservation.
Dr. Senaratne said representatives from “two major fish exporting companies” are due to visit Sri Lanka shortly to explore opportunities.
“The Japanese ambassador has also expressed willingness to discuss imports of fish products from Sri Lanka,” the minister said.
Speaking during an interview on SLBC, the minister added that a meeting was scheduled to meet the Chinese ambassador to discuss the issue on October 20. The minister added that Sri Lanka has already paid a fine of LKR 1.5 million ($11,500) with regards to the EU’s decision that the country has illegally fished in international high seas.
“But the EU has informed that payment is not sufficient,” said the minister. He reportedly added that Sri Lanka does not need permission from anyone to carry out fishing activities in international maritime areas. Sri Lanka has three months to take measures to avoid the ban, which will come into effect on January 14, 2015. Under the sanctions, all fisheries products caught by vessels flagged in Sri Lanka will be prohibited from entering the EU market.
Sri Lanka is the second biggest exporter of fresh and chilled swordfish and tuna to the EU with Euro 74 million of imports in 2013. The EU is conversely the country’s biggest market for fresh and chilled swordfish and tuna (mainly yellowfin) but this market can be supplanted by Chinese and Japanese buyers.
From : http://www.dailynews.lk:8082/?q=local/china-japan-say-give-us-fish
