Overview
Sri Lanka is home to more than 12,000 reservoirs, one of the highest densities of freshwater bodies globally. Originally constructed for irrigation, domestic water supply and later hydropower generation, these reservoirs have increasingly been used to support culture-based fisheries.
Using methods pioneered in Sri Lanka, culture-based fisheries have significantly enhanced inland fish production and emerged as a vital source of low-cost animal protein and household income for rural communities. By 2017, production from culture-based fisheries reached approximately 83,000 tonnes annually, contributing meaningfully to national food security and rural livelihoods. However, the absence of a solid foundation of science-based knowledge and evidence-based practice has limited its capacity for sustainable expansion and innovation.
This publication presents information from an end-of-project workshop held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in February 2025. The papers were drawn from an ACIAR-supported research project, ‘Improved productivity, efficiency and sustainability of the culture-based fishery for finfish and giant freshwater prawn in Sri Lankan reservoirs’ (FIS/2018/157). The project had an industry development and enhancement focus, and these Proceedings collate the knowledge gained, which is a significant step forward in understanding and strengthening Sri Lanka’s culture-based fisheries sector.
