Protecting aquatic resources from over exploitation

NARA to implement a sustainable solution:

By Harshini PERERA

Crystal blue waters on the surface conceal lobsters, chanks, prawns, sea cucumbers and marine ornamental fish inside its body as if to protect it from being hunted both by predators and humans alike. Unfortunately man has reached a state which surpasses nature and further gather the harvest in large quantity which nature has sown under the sea. Thus the situation is about to lead to the extinction of these five species. The Sunday Observer learnt that they are threatened due to the over-consumption.

NARA (National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency) tries hard to prevent the harm done to aquatic eco systems and the fisheries industry. Dr. Champa Amarasiri, Director of Research in NARA expressed her ideas; "These five species are highly export oriented and are, therefore over-exploited in a bid to earn foreign exchange. Any regulation imposed on the industry, such as a ban on fishing of these species directly affect the socio-economical situation of the country for a large number of fishermen are dependent on the industry.

Aromatic dishes of soup and western meals, made out of sea cucumber and chanks in China, Hongkong, Singapore exported from Sri Lanka earn a large sum of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka while it causes extinction of such animals from the entire coastal belt. For they are slow moving, oblivious to the fact that they become easy prey. Scuba divers are expert in the enterprise because the species are inhabitants of deep sea. Sea cucumber is boiled and dried before exportation whereas chanks have a long history running up to the colonial period when they were exported to produce bangles and other ornaments out of their shells. Lobsters too are exported both live and dead and earn much foreign exchange. Marine Ornamental fish, inhabitants of coral reefs beautify homes of foreigners. They can be seen throughout the coastal belt and fishing destroys coral reefs as well.

NARA has learnt if the situation continues unabated, the stock they can harvest could decline as a consequence of over consumption. Responsibility and dexterity of NARA comes into play at this point. The "Fishery Resources Assessment Project" started in January 2008, of which NARA is the implementing governmental body while two other foreign bodies; Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) spend US $ 2 million to make it effective. It is a co-management plan alias a collaborative management plan which closely works and cooperates with the stakeholder in each of its activities.

The primary stage of the project comprises an Under Water Assessment. Dr. Amarasiri explained that the purpose of the survey is to understand and calculate available bio mass as well as the total allowable catch from each fishing ground. Progress of this assessment will reveal facts on fishing grounds while facilitating to carry out an effective management plan about the industry.The project is implemented in the North West, the East and the South covering the areas of Kalpitiya-Mannar, Vakarai-Sangamankanda and Kirinda. NARA has identified that fishing of chanks, sea cucumber, prawns, marine ornamental fish and lobsters are quite high in these areas and this in turn stands as a threat to the industry. The fishermen, divers, suppliers function as stakeholders in the project being responsible for sustainable utilisation of resources. There is a kind of national need to protect bio-diversity and protect the livelihood of fishermen besides the mere implementation of the project. Two Australian foreign experts, Dr. Brin Long, International Survey Biologist and Noel Tayler Moor, Fishery Management Expert Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) are involved in the project. The project helps in the capacity building of NARA staff as well.

The project is implemented in major landing sites where the number of boats in use and the number of individuals in each species caught in certain areas can be calculated.

Biological data of the species such as the reproductive period are collected . For instance, reproductive organs of the sea cucumber are collected to identify their reproductive patterns. Then action is taken to lessen the number of catch particularly during the reproductive period. Through these experiments NARA has learnt that certain species are dominant only in certain areas, so a spatial difference in fishing can clearly be seen.

Some species like lobsters fetch a high price in local market which is the sole reason why fishermen try to catch lobsters to earn a handsome income. Lobsters are inhabitants of hilly and rocky grounds at the bottom of the sea. So fishermen use nets to catch them. They drag their nets along the sea bed. This action of fishermen causes the destruction of precious coral reefs and may destroy sea weeds which supply food for the species. Similarly, immature prawns are being caught for the price they fetch but the young generation capable of reproduction is destroyed.

Under the project, an independent study on sea cucumber in the East and the North West coasts is carried out. The purpose of this assessment was to identify the total allowable catch of sea cucumber in these areas. As a result of the assessment NARA has realised that a commercial factor lies in the population density. Commercially valuable species have become less dominant while commercially valueless species have become dominant in fishing areas.

Sea Bed Mapping is the other assessment technique used in shrimp fishing or prawn fishing. It helps NARA to manage the shrimp resources by estimating the standing stocks and the total allowable catch in existing fishing grounds. The area NARA covered ranged from Palangaturei to Kudiramale.

In lobster fishery, Echo-sounders were used for sea bed mapping to identify lobster habitats while a land survey was done to determine existing fish resources and the number caught.

An Under Water Survey is being carried out to estimate the resources. Lobster population has become difficult to trace since their habitats are either rocky areas or are widely spread.

Samatha Gunasekara, Chief Preventive Officer of Sri Lanka Customs, mentioned that regulations on lobster fishery came into effect from 1971 that requires the exporter to get a licence. He also mentioned that the number of lobsters exportation has depleted.

The project though in its data analytical stage, is supposed to be finalised by February 2009. Depending on the data NARA received, suitable action will be taken to fight against the over exploitation or over consumption of these species. Thus NARA will implement a sustainable solution for these exploited species in the near future.