Nine regulations under the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act including the prohibition on disposal of  industrial or domestic effluent directly or indirectly to Sri Lanka Waters  will  be taken up for debate in Parliament on 21st  January 2020. 

These regulations include a number of directives to protect fish and aquatic resources in the Sri Lankan waters.

Accordingly regulations related to disposal of  any pollutant, waste or foreign matter and fill or reclaim the sea areas in a manner causing destruction to fish and aquatic resources in Sri Lanka waters, engagement in removing, cutting or altering mangrove eco systems grown in the coastal belt or in any area adjacent to the Sri Lanka Waters, engagement  in any activity which causes a threat to the conservation of fish species in Sri Lanka Waters or coastal belt adjacent to it, will be presented to the parliament.

Engagement in any fishing operation using spear guns or hand held spears within Sri Lanka
Waters and possession, or having on board any local fishing boat, any spear gun will be prohibited, a statement said .

Also catching, possession, transportation, purchasing, displaying for sale, selling or exportation the fish species Thambuwa, (cephalopholis sonnerati) within Sri Lanka or Sri Lanka Waters will be prohibited.

There are also regulations pertaining to export of fishery products, import and re-export of fish and fishery products, registration for export, import and re-export of fish or fisheries, inspection of import and fish processing establishment for export or re- export of fishery products.

The Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Douglas Devananda will present the regulations to the Parliament in terms of the provisions of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act No. 2 of 1996.