Limit Southern fishermen's use of Mullaitivu waters - NPC

by Abi
Apr 3, 2017

Limits must be placed on the number of fishermen from the South using Mullaitivu waters, the Northern Provincial Council said in a resolution last week.

In a resolution passed at the council’s 85th sitting, members said the TNA leader, the North’s Chief Minister and Tamil MPs should directly take up the issue with Sri Lanka’s president, prime minister and fisheries minister.

The motion was brought by Ravikaran, a representative for Mullaitivu, who mentioned specifically the encroachment of Naiyaaru waters by fishermen from the South.

Due to army pressure, 78 boat permits had been granted to Sinhalese fishermen in 2011, but now over 300 Sinhalese fishermen are labouring in that area, Mr Ravikaran told the council.

The encroachment of Mullaitivu waters by Sinhalese fishermen from the South was having serious negative effects on the livelihoods of local Tamil fishing communities, he said.

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