SLN imposes fishing ban in Valikaamam

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 July 2007, 05:07 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) announced Sunday that effective immediately they are banning fishing in the seas around Valigaamam West and Valikaamam South West, from Ponnaalai, Maathakal up to Cheanthaangku'lam, in Jaffna peninsula. The fishermen who set out to the sea Sunday this morning were turned back by the SLN vessels guarding the coast in these areas.

Recently gunships belonging to SLN have been conducting military exercises in the sea route from Karainagar upto Kankesanthurai (KKS) and this ban on fishing is related to this military activity, Federation of Jaffna fishing community sources said.

However, since the armed forces expect a major attack in the peninsula in the near future, this ban is being implemented to prevent the intrusion of LTTE cadres via sea towards the naval bases located in Karainagar and KKS, a naval source said.

The fishermen in these areas have been earlier given permission to fish using SLN- issued passes within 1 km from the coast using only catamarans without any outboard motors.

The frequent bans by SLN has created serious problems to the fishing families who are already of on the verge of economic ruin, sources said.

Meanwhile, in Vadamaradchchy North and Kudakadal fishing is being allowed within 1 km from the coast.