This document, which is titled the Sri Lanka National Action Plan to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing (SLNPOA-IUU) contains measures that are being implemented and those proposed to be adopted for implementation to combat IUU fishing activities conducted by local fishing boats in Sri Lanka waters, waters of national jurisdictions of other coastal States, and high seas, and by foreign fishing boats in Sri Lanka waters. It has been prepared in accordance with the guidelines given by the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU) adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (FAO, 2001). Fisheries of Sri Lanka are governed by Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996 as amended by Acts No. 4 of 2000, 4 of 2004 and 22 of 2006 (FARA). FARA does not include provisions to implement measures, which are needed to combat IUU fishing activities conducted by local fishing boats in high-seas and waters in national jurisdictions of other States. Action has now been initiated to incorporate provisions in FARA that enable DFAR to control fishing activities conducted by local fishing boats in high seas and national jurisdictions of other coastal States, and thereby combat IUU fishing activities conducted by local fishing boats outside Sri Lanka waters. Till such legal provisions are incorporated into FARA, measures required to control fishing activities conducted by local fishing boats outside Sri Lanka waters are implemented as administrative procedures
