The EU sanctions came into effect in January this year.

Cabinet Spokesman and Health Minister Rajtiha Senaratne, addressing the weekly Cabinet Press Briefing at the Government Information Department, yesterday said that in keeping with the action plan being implemented to convince the EU of the need to lift the ban it had imposed, Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera had on Wednesday proposed to the Cabinet that the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act No 02 of 1996 , be amended in conformity with global standards.

The Cabinet of Ministers had approved the amendment which set out the penalties to be imposed based on the type and size of the vessel used and the quantity of fish that had been caught at the time of the offence being committed in violation of the principle of sustainable and responsible fishing, he said.

Sri Lanka was earlier the second biggest exporter of fresh and chilled swordfish and tuna to the EU.