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Competent authority will oversee relaxed fishing ban
By Meriam Kern
The government will shortly appoint a competent authority to oversee the implementation of the fishing restrictions which were relaxed in the North-East province last week.

Under regulations gazetted specific areas have been declared as restricted zones, while fishing in other areas has been permitted. According to the regulations which were gazetted last week no person, boat or vessel can enter the "restricted areas" without a permit or written permission from the Competent Authority.

The regulations also specify that any person who has committed any offence under these regulations, will be put on trial at the High Court and if convicted will be liable to rigorous imprisonment of not less than three months and not exceeding five years. If convicted the person would also have to face a fine of no less than Rs. 500,000.

The ''restricted areas'' specified in the regulations are in the administrative districts of Trincomalee, Mullaitivu, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar and are mainly around the harbours and main security camps in the north and east.

Easing the fishing restrictions is one of the conditions the government has agreed under the MoU signed with the LTTE in March. The regulations also state that any member of the police or armed forces will have the authority to stop any person, boat or vessel for the purpose of identification inside the restricted areas. If such person, boat or vessel refuses to heed to an order given, under the regulations the police and the armed forces have been given power to take whatever action they deem necessary to halt the boat or vessel.

In the event there is a death, injury or damage as a result of refusal to comply, such persons will not receive any compensation. These regulations formulated by the government for the lifting of the long imposed fishing restrictions in the North and East will not in anyway affect the right of access to the island of Kachchativu which was granted to Indian fishermen under agreements signed between Sri Lanka and India in 1974 and 1976.

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