A Sri Lankan delegation led by the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Ramalingam Chandrasekhar, currently on an official visit to Norway, held a series of high-level discussions yesterday (23) in Oslo with senior officials of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.

The discussions primarily focused on modernizing Sri Lanka’s fisheries sector and enhancing technical cooperation between the two countries.

During a meeting with Gunnar Stølsvik, Head of the “Blue Justice” Program, attention was drawn to the AIS Data System provided by the Norwegian Government to member countries of the Blue Justice initiative. Discussions centered on the possibility of Sri Lanka obtaining this advanced technology free of charge to strengthen the monitoring of Sri Lankan fishing vessels and curb illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. The Norwegian side also agreed to facilitate specialized training programs for officials of the Ministry of Fisheries and relevant departments to ensure the effective utilization of the technology.

Subsequently, during discussions with Anita Utheim Iversen, Head of the Global Action Network on Sustainable Food Security, special attention was given to improving the nutritional value and quality standards of fish products. Sri Lanka was formally invited to join the internationally recognized “Food Nutrition and Composition Group,” creating valuable opportunities for research institutions such as National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) to engage in global knowledge-sharing and technological collaboration.

Addressing the discussions, Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekhar emphasized that the strengthened technical cooperation between the Governments of Norway and Sri Lanka reflects the Government’s strong commitment to modernizing Sri Lanka’s fisheries industry through advanced technology and aligning the sector with international standards.

Also present at the discussions were the Secretary to the Ministry, Dr. B.K. Kolita Kamal Jinadasa, and the Director General of Fisheries, Mr. S.J. Kahawatte.