2. Amendment of section 49 of Act…

Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.

Section 49 of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

Act, No. 2 of 1996 (hereinafter referred to as the “principal enactment”) is hereby amended as follows:—

(1)

in subsection (1) of that section, by the substitution for the words and figures “sections 14E, 15, 16, 17

or 22” of the words and figures “sections 15, 16, 17

or 22”; and

(2)

by the insertion immediately after subsection (1) of the following new subsection:—

“(1A) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions of section 14E of this

Act shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate, be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand rupees.”.

(3)

by the insertion immediately after subsection (6) of the following new subsections:—

“(7) Any person who contravenes any regulation made under section 61(1)(t) of this Act beyond the limits of Sri Lanka Waters shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate, be liable to an imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine not less than the amounts specified in Column II of the

Schedule hereto based on the length of the fishing boat specified in corresponding entry in the Column

I of the Schedule or to a fine not less than five times the value of relevant fish catch or whichever is higher.

SCHEDULE

Column I

Column II

Length of a fishing boat fines

More than 10.3 and less than 15 meters

Rupees 1.0 Million

More than 15 and less than 24.0 meters

Rupees 1.5 Million

More than 24.0 and less than 45.0 meters

Rupees 25 Million

More than 45.0 and less than 75.0 meters

Rupees 50 Million

More than 75.0 meters

Rupees 100 Million

(8)

Any person who contravenes any regulation made under section 61(1)(u) of this Act shall be liable to a fine of not less than five times of the value of relevant fish catch.

For the purposes of this section “relevant fish catch” means quantity of fish catch at the time of the offence, valued by a panel of members appointed under section 52E of this Act.”.

Read on from s 3