The Hon. Rathna Gamage - Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, on behalf of the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, I provide the following answers.

¶ 02 1. The numbers of beach-seine licences issued for the island’s fisheries districts are as follows: - Colombo - 26 - Chilaw (Halawatha) - 09 - Puttalam - 96 - Mannar - 39 - Jaffna - 75 - Mullaitivu - 84 - Trincomalee - 111 - Batticaloa - 144 - Kalmunai - 133 - Matara - 04 - Galle - 50 - Kalutara - 22 - Tangalle - 130

¶ 03 Accordingly, the total number of beach-seine licences issued is 935.

¶ 04 2. Yes. For operating a beach-seine, the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources issues: i. Beach-Seine Site (Harbour) Permit ii. Beach-Seine Fishing Operations Licence iii. Certificate of Registration for Beach-Seine Craft

¶ 05 The conditions set out in these permits/licences include: i. Compliance with the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996, and regulations and orders made thereunder. ii. All particulars relating to the fishing craft used in the beach-seine operation. iii. The permitted method type, quantities, and specifications under the licence. iv. The area of operation, landing site, fishing season, fishing time, and fish species permitted to be caught under the licence.

¶ 06 3. No. No mechanized craft or mechanized equipment may be used for beach-seine operations. Under the 1984 Beach-Seine Regulations, paragraph 29 provides that: “(1) No person shall, during the period specified in Regulation 4, use any mechanized craft within the waters of any beach-seine site. (2) No person shall, for the purpose of hauling a beach-seine to catch fish, use or operate any mechanized craft within any beach-seine site.”

¶ 07 In addition, under Regulation 33 of the 1984 Beach-Seine Regulations, the definition of “beach-seine” specifies that it must be hauled manually by two groups of persons on the shore using two hauling ropes attached to the net.

¶ 08 4. By letters dated 2015.06.29 issued by the then Director-General to the Assistant Directors in the districts of Trincomalee, Mullaitivu, Puttalam and Mannar, considering a request by the All-Island Beach-Seine Fishery Owners’ Association and in line with decisions taken at its Annual General Meeting held on 2015.05.14, temporary permissions were granted, as a pilot, to use winches in certain districts for beach-seine operations:

¶ 09 2015.06.29 - Puttalam - 18 - Mullaitivu - 17 - Mannar - 06 - Trincomalee - 09

¶ 10 2015.09.30 - Puttalam - 07 - Trincomalee - 04

¶ 11 2016.02.10 - Puttalam - 01 - Mullaitivu - 01 - Mannar - 01 - Negombo - 04 - Jaffna - 02

¶ 12 However, by letter dated 2016.02.29, within eight months, the same Director-General suspended this temporary permission due to coastal damage and other adverse, irreversible impacts. All Assistant Directors were notified in May 2016 that the temporary permissions were suspended.

¶ 13 5. Under the 1984 Beach-Seine Regulations, the use of mechanized equipment is not permitted. Therefore, there was no need for a fresh prohibition. All currently operative beach-seine fishing operation licences are issued in accordance with those regulations. No person may conduct beach-seine operations outside that regulatory framework. Any person acting outside the regulations cannot be considered to be engaging in lawful beach-seine operations.

¶ 14 6. On 2026.02.13, following a discussion held between the All-Island Beach-Seine Association and His Excellency the President, it was decided to appoint a committee comprising representatives of all relevant Government stakeholders: - Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources - Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources - National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) - Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Department (CC & CRM) - Department of Wildlife Conservation - Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) - Central Environmental Authority (CEA)

¶ 15 together with representatives of the All-Island Beach-Seine Association. The committee will conduct a comprehensive field study and make recommendations.

¶ 16 The committee held its initial meeting on 2026.02.16 and decided to submit recommendations within three months. NARA has prepared a timeline to commence the study in the last week of February, and work has been set in motion.

¶ 17 Thank you.

¶ 18 It being past 5.30 p.m., THE HON. PRESIDING MEMBER adjourned Parliament without Question put.

¶ 19 Parliament adjourned accordingly at 5.44 p.m. until 9.30 a.m. on Friday, 20th February 2026.