SL Navy deploys illegal means of fishing in Batticaloa North

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 April 2018, 05:09 GMT]
Sinhala navy sailors are using prohibited fishing nets to fish in the seas off Ko'ra'laip-pattu North (Vaakarai) division of Batticaloa district, say fisheries society leaders in Vaakarai. Earlier, the occupying SL Navy seized the nets from a section of local fishers, who were deploying illegal means of fishing.

The SL Fisheries Department was acting against those using the prohibited nets with the help of the fisheries society. The SL Navy sailors were deployed to seize the illegal fishing nets from the people.

But, the SL Navy from the Club camp is using the same nets to engage in fishing in the seas off Vaakarai.

There are around 2,000 fisher families who are dependent on their daily catch for their livelihood in the coastal villages of Panichchang-kea'ni, Ve'l'laiyadi-madu, Chinnath-thaddu-munai, Periya-thaddu-munai, Vaakarai, Ka'ndaladi, Ooriyan-kaddu, Vammi-vadda-vaan, Ampanthanaa-ve'li, Paal-cheanai, Puchchaang-kea'ni and Kathira-ve'li.

The fisheries societies have been discouraging the local fishermen from using the banned nets for the last five years.