The government has decided to ease restrictions previously imposed on fishing off the Northern coast from Mullaitivu to Nachchikudah in Mannar.

At a meeting chaired by Special Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, MP, with the fishing community at the Karainagar Naval Camp last Friday, it was agreed to lift these restrictions with immediate effect, authoritative sources said.

There are over 18,000 fishermen engaged in the fisheries industry in the North. The government expects to increase fish production in the North over and above the figures of 1983 when the total harvest stood at 48,000 metric tons annually. Due to continued LTTE threats, production dropped to 2300 metric tons last year (2008), the sources said.

Fishing societies have welcomed the move to lift fishing restrictions in the North, which they said, will help boost production and bring down the price of fish.