News
A local multi-day fishing trawler and 05 suspects held for smuggling bird and reptile species in southern waters
In a significant crackdown on wildlife smuggling, the Sri Lanka Navy deployed Sri Lanka Coast Guard ship Suraksha to seize a local multi-day fishing trawler and it’s crew involved in smuggling of several bird and reptile species. The operation was mounted in the southern waters on 07th July 2024.
This operation was conducted based on a comprehensive information analysis by Naval Intelligence over an extended period, focusing on a smuggling racket of birds and reptiles. Upon inspection of the suspicious trawler in the southern waters, 13 pythons, 01 monitor lizard, 01 tortoise and 03 parrots were found, raising concerns over an act of wildlife smuggling. Thus, the fishing trawler, along with it’s crew of 05 , was taken into custody.
The multi-day fishing trawler was escorted to the Galle harbour in the dark hours of 08th July, where officials of the Department of Wildlife Conservation examined the animals and identified them as non-native species to Sri Lanka.
The multi-day trawler, which was held on the charges of wildlife smuggling, has left Negombo for fishing activities. The suspects held in this operation were identified as residents of Negombo and Kochchikade. The apprehend suspects along with the trawler and animals were handed over to the Department of Wildlife Conservation – Hikkaduwa for onward legal action.
[Navy Media]
The Paddy Marketing Board has approximately 115,000 metric tonnes of paddy stocks purchased from farmers, which are currently stored in the Board’s warehouses, and it has been planned to retain a sufficient buffer stock from these reserves and sell the remaining quantity in order to provide the necessary storage space and financial resources for the purchase of paddy from farmers during the upcoming Yala season.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to sell the aforementioned paddy stocks
following a formal tender procedure.
The Promotion of Export Agriculture Act, No. 46 of 1992 provides the legal provisions for regulating and promoting the export agriculture sector in this country.
Taking into consideration administrative changes and sectoral developments that have taken place over time, approval was granted at the Cabinet Meetings held on 2023-09-04 and 2025-08-11 to amend the said Act, which has not been updated for over 30 years.
The proposed amendments are intended to amend the designations of the Head of the Department of Export Agriculture and other officials, and to provide a clearer definition of the term “the export agricultural crop.”
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to publish in the Government Gazette the Draft Export Agriculture Promotion (Amendment) Bill, prepared in all three languages by the Legal Draftsman to amend the Export Agriculture Promotion Act, No. 46 of 1992, and thereafter submit the same to Parliament for its concurrence
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