SLA imposes new restriction on fishing in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 January 2009, 16:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna has imposed new restrictions since 1st of January 2009 on fishing in Jaffna lagoon and in the seas of the islets of Jaffna citing security reasons, sources in Jaffna said. Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has become increasingly concerned of the of the infiltration for the LTTE, sources added. Meanwhile, Jaffna Government Agent (GA) has made arrangements for canned-fish to be used in the free meals given to students of the schools in the peninsula, due to shortage of fish, the sources added.

SLA had permitted fishermen to use outboard motors in their boats since the occupation of Poonakari and this had eased the shortage of fish for sale in Jaffna peninsula.

SLN had arrested fishermen and confiscated their boats for fishing in the seas of the islets of Jaffna recently.

More than 3,500 families consisting of more than 15,000 persons depend on fishing for their living from Ariyaalai, Kurunakar, Kozhumpuththu’rai, Paasaiyoor , Karaiyoor, Koddadi and Naavaanthu’rai.

There are 17,751 fisher families with 15,040 fishermen, making a total of 78,013 fisher families in the entire peninsula.

SLA has begun a new project to issue fishing identity cards to the fishermen by collecting the necessary particulars of the fishermen in the peninsula.

Permitting the use of outboard motors will be taken into consideration once the identity cards are issued to the fishermen, according to information given by SLA to the fisheries societies.

Fisheries society representatives said that SLA had made similar promises earlier, but had consistently failed to carry out the promises.