Sri Lanka, Nov. 2 -- The moratorium on foreign research vessels has hampered fish stock assessment activities in Sri Lanka, where fish stocks are now on the decline, an official said.

Towards the end of the previous government's tenure in 2024, Sri Lanka introduced the moratorium after India raised objections to the involvement of Chinese research vessels in Sri Lankan waters over security concerns.

The current government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has also maintained the moratorium until Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are formulated.

The process has not yet been completed. The official said the fisheries authorities had also submitted proposals to be incorporated into the proposed SOPs.

Meanwhile, the fisherie...