On the 6 September 2024, British Indian Ocean Territories (BIOT) patrol officers boarded and inspected the Sri Lanka flagged vessel, SEYARA (IMUL-A-0168-PTM), in BIOT waters. The vessel had not submitted a request to transit BIOT waters. Upon inspection, the vessel had no functioning VMS on board and fishing gear was deployed within BIOT waters. The captain confirmed that they had previously fished in BIOT waters. The vessel was presumed to be actively fishing in BIOT waters without a license, with longlines deployed. Hold catch included IOTC species such as Yellowfin Tuna, Skipjack Tuna and dorado. This vessel was included in the IOTC IUU List on 23 April 2025, whilst flagged to Sri Lanka and under ownership of HSM FERNANDO for fishing in a coastal states water without authorisation. IOTC IUU List uses the vessels Sri Lankan national registration number, IMUL-A-0168-PTM, as its vessel name but the vessels name was SEYARA at the time of IOTC IUU listing.
SEYARA
IMUL-A-0168-PTM
IMUL-A-0168-PTM
Fishing Vessel
Gillnets, Longline
Sri Lanka
39.800, 23.151, 23.150, 23.941, 23.940
14.935, 14.700, 14.940
HSM FERNANDO, H.S.M.FERNANDO
HSM FERNANDO(OWNER OF THE VESSEL); HSM FERNANDO, H.S.M.FERNANDO
Fishing in a coastal States waters without authorisation. Contravention of IOTC CMMs (e.g. Vessel registration and valid authorisation to fish/tranship and licence not resented, vessel not carrying documents detailing International callsign, marker buoys/floats not correctly marked and VMS not fully operational).
