SECURITY FORCES HEADQUARTERS, MULLAITIVU (SFHQ-MLT) beginning Wednesday (7) has given green light to Mullaittivu fishermen to restart their fishing industry in the deep seas after gifting five refurbished fishing trawlers, earlier captured from LTTE terrorists by the Army.
Restrictions on fishing continued in Mullaittivu seas up until Wednesday (7) due to security concerns and the total relaxation of those restrictions thus enables 35 fishermen to restart their livelihood at the outset, using their own boats and the trawlers, gifted by the Army.
Sri Lanka Army has been in the process of repairing, refurbishing and repainting a total of over 150 fishing boats and trawlers captured from LTTE terrorists. Some of them had been left behind by fleeing terrorists. Repairs to those fishing boats and fishing gears are carried out in liasion with the Ministry of Fisheries and the CeyNor foundation following initiatives taken by the Army.
Mullaittivu sea shore on Wednesday (7) adorned festive garbs in accordance with Hindu traditions as the goodwill gesture rekindled the hopes for a better future among fisher folk in the area, since the news on removal of fishing restrictions has broken out. Just 30 minutes after the inaugural launching into the sea for fishing, several fishermen reached back to the shores with the first catch after nearly 25 years.
59 Division Headquarters organized this goodwill gesture with the support of fishermen in the area. In order to overcome the shortage of fishing equipment among fishermen, the Army also gave away fishing gears, repaired outboard motors and a stock of other renovated fishing equipment to five newly-founded fisheries societies on the same occasion. Guests present on the occasion symbolically launched the first boat into the seas.
Major General Prasanna Silva, Commander SFHQ-MLT, Mrs Emelda Sukumar, District Secretary for Mullaittivu, Assistant Director for Ministry of Fisheries, senior Army, Navy and Police officers and a large gathering of fishermen and civilians witnessed the inaugural ceremony.
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