Why has marine aquaculture not developed in Sri Lanka? Niels Svennevig Head of international affairs,, Norway
Aquatic Resource Development and Quality Improvement Project Identify suitable mariculture technologies to adapt, test and commercialise under the Project through a review of available commercial technologies; Determine technical & financial feasibility of proposed technologies; Identify suitable sites for the proposed technologies; Advise on the scope and strategy for adaptive mariculture research and on the needs for facilities, equipment and training.
The only mariculture in Sri Lanka! Moratuwa oyster farming 7 persons 12.000 pieces/yr
The resources are there climate and areas but Successful aquaculture development is mostly demand or market driven not policy driven
What is wrong in market/market chain, which is the major constraint for developing aquaculture? Domestic market Un-segmented and very low prices Export market Very high profit margin taken by exporters i.e. lack of sharing profit margin
Domestic market: Prices (LKR/kg) of marine fish in Sri Lanka at fisher and at market (in brackets) Galle Batticaloa Kilinochchi Chilaw Kalutara Blood fish (430) (200-500) Small pelagic Rockfish 120-140 (200) 40-100 40-50 (100) 80-120 (150-180) 80 (100-160) 120 Trash fish 10-15 10 10 Why these few segments? Food style rock fish not appreciated Purchase power? Seafood consumption 18kg versus 45kg
Market in Batticaloa
Market in Chilaw
Export market: Prices (LKR/kg) of spiny lobster in Sri Lanka at fisher and at middleman (in brackets) Spiny lobster Galle Trincomalee Kilinochchi Hambantota 800 450-1600 (1650-2500) Tangalla 1000 600-1300 (1500-2400) Kalutara 1300-1900 But in Vietnam average price paid farmer was 26 USD/kg
Spiny lobsters
Export market: Prices (LKR/kg) of seaweed in Sri Lanka at fisher and at middleman (in brackets) Dry Gracilaria at Kinniyai 10-15 15 (18-60) But in Vietnam average price paid farmer was 1 USD/kg
Dried Jaffna moss (Gracilaria( Gracilaria)
The seaweed trader and his storage facility at Kinniyai - Trincomalee
Other development constraint than market? The culture? In 1999 the Sri Lankan population consisted according to CIA: The World Fact Book of the following ethnic groups: Sinhalese 74% Tamil 18% Moor 7% Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1% The religions were: Buddhist 70% Hindu 15% Christian 8% Muslim 7%
Cultural constraints Buddhists should not grow/farm an animal (e.g. the fish) for later to kill and eat it but they can eat what has been caught from nature. Moslems have from historic time been specialising in trading and thus not often seen involved in either fisheries or aquaculture - unless as investors in e.g. shrimp farming. (!! Still in the Trincomalee district much of the fisheries carried out by Moslems) Many Hindus are vegetarians still some eat seafood if defining it as fruits of the sea Many Christians are found especially in the coastal areas, and many fishermen especially among the Tamils are Christian.
But when evaluating potential one has to note the large differences between the districts, e.g. Batticaloa district (ref. NAQDA extension centre) has: Tamil 72% (Hindu 56% and Christian 16%) Moor 24 % (all Muslim) Sinhalese 3% (all Buddhist) while in districts in the Southern Province hardly any Tamil.
Tropical lifestyle? on west and south coast
Trincomalee Koddiyar bay Tambalagam bay
View out in Koddiyar bay
Fishermen at Kinniyai
Fishermen at Kinniyai
Moor lobster fishermen at Irrakkakandi with NAQDA vice director
Moor girl with clams at Trincomalee
The fishers in Batticaloa lagoons
Short term development scenario Stocking material is present: Small-scale farmers, export market Seaweed Spiny lobster Small-scale farmers, domestic market, but fast capital rotation Clams Trevally, Caranx Pompano, Trachinotus