Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) has expressed its concern about Sri Lanka's non participation at the Commission's proceedings with seven cases of Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing by Sri Lankan fishermen to be reviewed by the Commission. Meanwhile, the European Union intends to deny access to countries that are non-corporative in combating IUU fishing to enter into their fish markets.

The commitment of each IOTC member country to combat IUU fishing and the participation at IOTC sessions will be taken into account in the future when issuing future EU certificates for trade access in their countries under new IUU regulations adopted by the Council of the European Union.

IOTC Executive Secretary Alejandro Anganuzzi yesterday said at a press conference held at the Government Information Department in Colombo, Sri Lanka has not participated at IOTC sessions for over four years. "They were happy that Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Rajitha Senaratne took part in the IOTC Conference held in Australia recently," he said.

Anganuzzi has come to Sri Lanka on the invitation of Minister Senaratne to see the conditions of fisheries in the country.

Minister Senaratne said Sri Lanka has been charged with not answering any of the questions by IOTC in regard to IUU fishing and not sending reports concerning its fisheries activities and resources. "If one goes without answering for as long as four or five years, one ends up being the wrong party before too long," the Minister said.

"Some of our fishermen have been charged with IUU fishing around British isles. But the truth is they have swayed into these areas because of the lack of an efficient Vessel Monitoring System and Warning Signals System to communicate when they enter into territorial waters of other countries," said Senaratne.

He said the lack of participation at the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission has led to a lot of misunderstanding with other countries. They are trying to make advantages in our absence to the session, he said.

If the country did not get the EU certificate to access into their fish market, the country will lose around US $200 million, he said.

The Minister said he has arranged a meeting with Ministers and officials from India, Maldives, and Pakistan to discuss fishery related issues in the Bengal region with a view to present their problems to the IOTC as a bloc.

IOTC Secretary Alegandro said the matters pertaining to Sri Lanka could be resolved with their support to the Commission and its commitment to combat IUU fishing.

He said they were happy to have Sri Lanka's support and participation at the Commission as an important country in the Indian Ocean.

He said he had accepted an invitation from Minister Rajitha Senaratne to hold the next IOTC conference in Sri Lanka.