National Workshop on the Code of
Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
Colombo, 9-10 December 2005
Report of the National Workshop
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A National Workshop on Implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 9-10 December, 2005. The Workshop was organised by the Bay of
Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) in association with the Ministry of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (MFAR), Government of Sri Lanka. The National Aquatic Resources
Research and Development Agency (NARA), Crow Island, Mattakuliya hosted the two-day event.
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A total of 55 participants, representing the MFAR, BFAR, NARA, National Aquaculture
Development Authority (NAQDA), National Institute of Fisheries Nautical Engineering (NIFNE), Ceylon
Fisheries Harbor Corporation, Central Fisheries Harbour Corporation, NGOs, Fisheries Cooperative
Society and BOBP-IGO attended the National Workshop. The list of participants, Workshop Prospectus,
Agenda, Programme, Technical Sessions and the list of Resource Persons is enclosed at Annexes 1-6.
3.0
The National Workshop began with the traditional lighting of the lamp. Mr H S G Fernando,
Director, Ocean Resources, MFAR, facilitated the Inaugural Session. It started with welcome remarks by
Dr Champa Amarasiri, Acting Director General of NARA. She said that this Workshop is very useful for
management and development of the fisheries sector, especially in the process of rebuilding the sector
after the devastation caused by the tsunami.
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Dr Y S Yadava, Director BOBP-IGO welcomed the guests and the participants and thanked
the Ministry for its support in organisation of the Workshop. He said that the major objective of the
National Workshop is to facilitate a greater understanding of the Code of Conduct for Responsible
Fisheries among all those concerned with the sector in Sri Lanka and to foster steps towards more
effective implementation of the Code in the country and the region. He further said that in order to reflect
the particular needs and situations of fisheries in Sri Lanka, adaptation of the Code may also be desirable.
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Dr Yadava highlighted the importance of the Code and said that it is one of the most
important global documents produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
and recalled the important role played by the member countries of the BOBP-IGO in the preparation and
adoption of the Code in October 1995. He stated that implementation of the provision of the Code has
been one of the core activities of the BOBP-IGO and the Organisation is committed to take the Code to
the grassroots level. He stated that with this Workshop, BOBP-IGO would have completed the conduct of
National Workshops on implementation of the CCRF in all the member countries of the Organisation. Dr
Yadava also emphasized on the fact that this National Workshop was being held in the back drop of two
important events – first the massive destruction caused by the tsunami to the fisheries sector in Sri Lanka
and second that the year 2005 marked the tenth anniversary of the Code.
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Mr E Jinadasa, Secretary, MFAR in his inaugural address said that Sri Lanka was committed
to the implementation of the Code. The 26 December 2004 tsunami was a major set back to the fisheries
sector in Sri Lanka and the country’s fishing industry is in the process of recovery from the damages it
suffered. The Government is following the motto of “build back better”. He complimented the BOBPIGO for organisation of the National Workshop and said that as the youngest regional fisheries body it
had taken the very important task of addressing the implementation of the CCRF in the member countries.
In conclusion, Mr Jinadasa said that this National Workshop will provide a very good opportunity for
policy makers, researchers and other stakeholders to understand the Code better ad accelerate its
implementation.
7.0
The Workshop agenda included three Technical Sessions. The First Technical Session
comprised eight Presentations made by Mr G Piyasena, Director General, Department of Fisheries &
Aquatic Resources (The Status of Implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries in Sri
Lanka), Dr D E M Weerakoon, Director General, National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri
Lanka (Sustainable Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture in Sri Lanka: Problems &
Potentials), Mr G Piyasena (Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries in Sri Lanka: Problems and
Potentials), Dr A Hettiarachchi, Director General, MFAR (The Status of Trade in Marine Products in Sri
Lanka and Future Prospects), Dr Ranjith Edirisinghe, Head / Post Harvest Technology Division, NARA
(Issues in Post-harvest and Quality Control and Suggestions to Overcome the Problems), Dr S S Tabrez
Nasar, Senior Programme Advisor (Use of Information Networking, Extension Linkages and Awareness
Programmes in Fisheries Sector), Dr R Maldeniya, NARA (Development of Programmes for Gender
Participation in Fisheries and Aquaculture- Present Status and Future Prospects) and Dr Champa
Amarasiri, NARA (Providing Research Support to the Implementation of the Code of Conduct for
Responsible Fisheries in Sri Lanka).
Technical Session I
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In his first presentation on the “Status of Implementation of the Code of Conduct for
Responsible Fisheries in Sri Lanka”, Mr Piyasena elaborated the organisational structure of the
fisheries sector in Sri Lanka and the division of responsibilities amongst the different institutions/
agencies, the steps taken by the country towards implementation of the Code and the constraints faced
in the process. He outlined the various legislations enacted in the near past, which included
provisions that were consistent with the provisions contained in the Code. With regard to the
International Plans of Action (IPOAs) he said that lack of know-how on the IPOAs and the
availability of resources impeded their implementation in the country. The other constraints that
slowed the process of implementation of the Code in general and the IPOAs in particular included the
open access nature of the marine fisheries and non-availability of reliable information on the
resources and their production potentiality. Awareness on the CCRF and the involvement of
stakeholders is also inadequate, which is further compounded by financial and technical constraints.
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Dr D E M Weerakoon in his presentation on “Sustainable Development of Inland Fisheries
and Aquaculture in Sri Lanka – Problems and Potential” outlined the resources available under the subsector and the major activities undertaken in optimising production from the inland fisheries and
aquaculture resources. The reservoirs constituted the mainstay of inland fisheries and steps were being
taken to ensure stock enhancement of culture-based fisheries. In coastal aquaculture, Penaeus monodon
was the main species farmed in the North-west Provinces. By 2004 the total area under shrimp farming
was estimated at 4 500 ha. The white spot syndrome virus and the shortage of brooders were some of the
main constraints. However, steps have been taken to screen healthy brooders and provide quality seed to
the farmers. The target of production form the inland fisheries and aquaculture has been kept at 60 000
metric tons by 2009 and the policies have been directed towards the attainment of the targets. The
dredging of the Dutch Canal would also increase the carrying capacity of the area and more farms could
be set up in future to meet the said targets. Dr Weerakoon also informed that NAQDA was currently
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implementing the regulations on inland capture and culture-based fisheries, crop calendar and zonation in
shrimp farming and also the best management practices in aquaculture.
10.0
Mr G Piyasena in his second presentation on “Sustainable Development of Marine
Fisheries in Sri Lanka – Problems and Potentials” outlined the resources under marine fisheries, current
production and production potential of the resources, the status of export –import and the employment
provided by the marine fisheries sector in Sri Lanka. He also briefly described the damages due to the 26
December 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka and said that the fisheries sector was the worst affected. A total of 4
870 fishers died, 103 00 fisher people were displaced and 16 500 fisher houses were destroyed and 13 300
were damaged. The Sri Lankan fishing boats and infrastructure also suffered heavy damages and a total of
24 000 fishing boats were either destroyed or damaged and 10 out of the 12 Fishing Harbours were
damaged. However, the relief and rehabilitation has been fast and 93 percent of the fleet was rehabilitated
by November 2005 and 60 percent of the fleet was operating by June 2005. The fish production in the
post-tsunami period ahs been impacted and the January – June 2005 production was about 38 – 40 percent
less than the production in the corresponding period of years 2003 and 2004.
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Outlining the constraints faced by the marine sector, Mr Piyasena stated that overexploitation, use of illegal and harmful fishing methods, damage/ destruction of critical habitats and user
conflicts were some of the major problems faced by the sector. The other issues outlined by him included
heavy reliance on gill net fishery, imbalances in harvesting of resources, heavy post-harvest wastage/
losses and limited developments in boat construction technology. Dearth of reliable information on the
stocks and the harvestable potential also impeded optimum exploitation of the marine fishery resources.
He said that the objective of the post-tsunami reconstruction phase was to “build back better” and in this
direction the following major steps were undertaken:
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To improve designs for multi-day boats
To improve on-boat handling and preservation
To promotion of sustainable fisheries management
To create awareness
To engagement/ empower resource users/ community.
To increase export opportunities
To build institutional capacities
To increase safety at sea and ensure minimum safety standards
12.0
Dr A Hettiarachchi in his presentation on “The Status of Marine Products Trade in
Sri Lanka and Future Prospects” mentioned that the fisheries sector contributed to 1.5 -2.8 percent to the
GNP of the country, met 65 – 75 percent of the protein requirements of the population and provided
employment (direct and indirect) to about 600 000 people. The country maintains a trade balance in the
export/ import of fish and fish products. Shrimp, tuna, lobsters and shark fins constitute the main
commodities exported from the country. He also informed the Sri Lanka has been recently conferred with
the GSP + status by the European Union, which will be helpful in promoting its exports to the European
countries. However, this status also brings with it the additional responsibility of implementing the key
international conventions on good governance and sustainable development. He also highlighted the
importance given by the Government for promoting responsible trade and domestic marketing of fish and
informed the allocation of LKR 500 million in the recent budget for setting up of a new fish market in
Colombo. Dr Hettiarachchi suggested that as the fish trade activities are carried out by a diverse group of
people there is a need for conducting a detailed survey on the people engaged in fish trade in Sri Lanka.
13.0
The presentation on “Issues in Post-Harvest and Quality Control and Suggestions to
Overcome the Problems” was made by Dr Ranjith Edirisinghe, Head Post- Harvest Technology, NARA.
He informed that Sri Lanka has 12 Fishing Harbours and 37 anchorages and small landing sites. There is
a Central Fish Market (St Johns) at Colombo. About 79 - 87 percent fish is marketed fresh and 13 – 21
percent as dry. The private sector accounts for about 98 percent of marketing and the rest is done by the
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Ceylon Fisheries Corporation. There are 16 European Union approved factories in the country, which
comply with the export regulations. The tsunami damages to the post-harvest sector have been estimated
at LKR 260 million and a 28 percent reduction in fish production (81 500 metric tonnes approximately).
This would have also resulted in a per capita reduction in the consumption of fish from the pre-tsunami
period of 18 kg to 13.5 kg. in the post –tsunami period. Due to the extensive damage to post-harvest
infrastructure, the availability and quality of ice and water ahs also deteriorated. The immediate and longterm needs of the marketing sector outlined by Dr Edirisinghe include the following:
 Renovation/ re-establishment of fish markets, auction halls, etc to improve the hygiene and
sanitation conditions and reduce contamination.
 Promotion of the use of ice boxes to retain the quality of fish and reduce spoilage.
 Modernisation of fishing vessels to include on-board preservation and processing.
 Study to identify the needs and trends of market in relation to fishery products.
 Creation of awareness on hygienic handling and prevention o wastage/ losses through school
curriculum and media.
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A presentation was made by Dr S S Tabrez Nasar on ‘Use of Information
Networking, Extension Linkages and Awareness Programmes in Fisheries Sector”. In his presentation
he stressed the need for stronger linkages between and amongst individuals and organisations that
relate to fisheries and its management. He also emphasised the two major objectives of (i) increasing
awareness and knowledge of fisheries management including sustainable exploitation and
conservation and (ii) using networking as a platform to share knowledge and information, strengthen
linkages and avoid duplication. He also pointed out to the wide array of opportunities for information
sharing and how print and electronic media can play an important role in doing so. The recent
developments in information and communication technology can also be utilized to the maximum
possible extent in meeting the objectives.
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Dr Rekha Maldeniya made a presentation on “Development of Programmes for
gender Participation in Fisheries and Aquaculture – Present Status and future Prospects”. In her
presentation she said that most of the development programmes support male-oriented activities. Women
are largely engaged in the processing sector. The major reasons for this exclusion are because women are
neither organised nor their individual voices heard. The post-tsunami scenario has added another
dimension where a large number of fisherwomen have become widows and are now fully responsible for
maintaining their families. Dr Maldeniya suggested the need for a more gender-sensitive approach for
sustainable development of fisheries, development of women’s cooperatives and skill enhancement and
creation of a national network for women in fisheries. She also suggested that activities/ programmes
should aim at targeting men and women together and not separately.
16.0
In the last technical presentation, Dr Champa Amarasiri, spoke on “Providing
Research Support to the Implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible fisheries in Sri Lanka”.
Dr Amarasiri said that research support to the fisheries sector is provided by the NARA and the network
of 13 Universities in the country. Briefly describing NARA, she said that it is a State Institution set up
under an Act in 1981 (further amended in 1996). It has a total strength of 325 people including 40
research staff. The Agency has four field stations and works on nine major research areas. Agencies such
as Nautical Charting and Survey and National Hydrographic Office are also attached to NARA. Besides
conducting research on a wide range of topics, NARA also contributes from time to time towards
preparation of legislation concerning fisheries and aquaculture and policies of the Government. Dr
Amarasiri mentioned the damages to the property of the Agency due to the tsunami waves and informed
that the Agency was providing support to the Government in activities such as (i)Impact of tsunami on the
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habitats and fishing community, (ii)Monitoring of rehabilitation process and (iii)Establishment of sealevel monitoring for early warning centre.
Technical Session II
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After the eight Technical Presentations were over the participants were divided into 4
Groups (see Annex 7 for the list of participants in each Group) to enable detailed discussions on critical
issues. The broad tropics assigned to each Group are as follows:
Group I: Marine Resources, Stock Assessment and Production Potential, Crafts and Gear, Safety at
Sea, Tsunami Rehabilitation, FAO Plans of Action, Policy and Legal Issues, etc.
Group II: Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources, Production Potential and Sustainability
Issues, FAO Plans of Action, Policy and Legal Issues, etc.
Group III: Post-harvest and Value Addition, Marketing, Eco-labelling and other Trade related
matters, Impact of Globalisation, Subsidies in Fisheries, Policy and Legal Issues, etc.
Group IV: Extension Linkages, Information Networking, Gender in Fisheries, Welfare
Programmes, Research Programmes, Tsunami Rehabilitation, Policy and Legal Issues, etc.
Technical Session III
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Each Group made a presentation of recommendations that accrued from their
discussions, which is placed at Annex 8. Based on the recommendations made by each Group, the
National Workshop adopted a set of recommendations (placed at Annex 9) that would be submitted to the
Government for its consideration and implementation.
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Mr Hettiarchchi in his concluding remarks said that this workshop was very useful
and now we understand the code much better. Since the senior government officials were also present, he
hoped that the report will not only remain as such but also will be implemented soon. He also thanked the
BOBP-IGO and the Director, Dr Yadava for organising the workshop.
20.0
Dr Y S Yadava in his concluding remarks thanked all the participants for their
valuable contributions to the National Workshop and also to MFAR and NARA for the excellent
arrangements made for the conduct of the Workshop.
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