Nasheed: Maldives, Lanka need to open seas to each other

Neighbors Maldives and Sri Lanka need to open their seas and fishing industries to each other for mutual economic benefit, says former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed.

Speaking during a function held at the Champa Central Hotel last Monday night to mark the Independence Day of Sri Lanka, Nasheed noted that Maldives and Sri Lanka shared close ties which needed to be further reinforced.

“We also need to seek ways for Maldives and Sri Lanka to co-use each other’s seas. We need to establish a stable market for fishermen of both nations. They need to be able to sell their catch here. And we, too, need to be able to sell our catch. In Wellawatte or Colombo,” said Nasheed.

While Nasheed has called for Maldives and Lanka to open their seas to each other, the two countries employ different methods of fishing.

All methods of commercial fishing expect for pole-and-line fishing is banned in Maldives, whereas net fishing is common in Sri Lanka.

Fishing in the Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone is currently strictly banned for foreign vessels. And the Coastguard recently installed a coastal radar surveillance system with assistance of India to monitor the EEZ.

The Maldivian Coastguard, on December 19, captured a Sri Lankan fishing boat, Oshadi I, 42 miles off the coast of G. Dh. Gadhdhoo. The agency later reported the boat was captured with one ton of catch – including sharks.