SLA re-imposes peninsula-wide fishing ban

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 10:32 GMT]
Sri Lankan Military high command in Palaly in Jaffna district reintroduced the complete fishing ban in the seas in the Peninsula from Tuesday until further notice, Fisheries Society sources said. 7,375 individuals from 1925 families in Thalayadi, Aaliyavalai, and other coastal hamlets in Liberation Tigers controlled areas in Vadamaradchy east, and 65,834 individuals from 14,774 fisher families in Sri Lanka Government controlled areas of Jaffna district will suffer severe economic difficulties, fisheries sources added.

The fishing ban that had been imposed earlier in August 11, 2006 and later relaxed in December of months ago, after many humanitarian organizations campaigned for lifting of the ban.

However, the military command allowed fishing in many areas in catamarans for limited time and in small boats in the shallow water sea near Jaffna town.

Thousands of fishermen from Thondamanaru to Nagar Kovil in the north, Sulipuram and Mathakal in west, from Navanthurai to Ariyalai in south and in the islet areas will lose their daily income due to the ban.

Jaffna residents will be deprived of relatively inexpensive seafood, fish traders in Jaffna said.

Residents in Jaffna speculate that the sudden fishing ban is part of the military strategy and security measure against the widely expected breakout of war in Jaffna district.