Abstract
Kinniya is one of the 11 Divisional Secretary Divisions in Trincomalee district populated with more than 96% of Muslims. Geographical location of Kinniya around Thampalakamam bay and Koddyar bay provides a lucrative livelihood for ⅓rd of its total population via marine fisheries. Thampalakamam bay is a brackish water resource with diversified aquatic biota which facilitates coastal fisheries while the Koddyar bay facilitates offshore and deepsea marine fisheries. Significant irreparable reduction in fish production was observed from 2005 onwards, especially in Kinniya, irrespective of regrowth in fish production in other regions of Trincomalee district afterwards. Hence, a study was conducted with preliminary data collected through participatory appraisal with stakeholders of Kinniya fishing community to objectively test the root cause of continued reduction in fish catch. According to the study, associated location of Kinniya adjacent to Mullaitivu district facilitated the infiltration of terrorists into the natural harbour and military bases located in both bays. Preventive security measures imposed by the military against terrorists caused restrictions on Kinniya fishermen with regard to fishing time, fishing area and usage of motorized fishing fleet. Aftermath of these restrictions led to various biologically destructive livelihood activities inside and outside the two bays. Also, the effect of Tsunami in 2004 aggravated the already deteriorated livelihood of fisherfolks in Kinniya. Before these restrictions, Kinniya fishermen went in search of fish all around the two bays but at the moment they are waiting until fish come to their sites. This major change reduced the fish catch dramatically in Kinniya, especially due to overfishing, co-effects of civil war, location of harbour, anthropogenic effects and tsunami devastation. Ultimately, an environmentally sound and socially peaceful fishery of Kinniya was converted into environmentally and socially deteriorated fisheries. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/tar.v21i1.2589 Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 21(1): 80-88 (2009)
Highlights
Sri Lanka’s coastal fisheries contribute a greater share to the country’s total marine fish production compared to offshore and deep sea production
Coastal inhabitants of Sri Lanka primarily engaged in exploiting resources closer to their settlement (Wijayaratne and Maldeniya, 2003) and fishing has been the main livelihood of large numbers of them (Nevil, 2005)
According to NARA (2007), out of nine provinces of Sri Lanka, Eastern Province consisting of Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts provided around 13% of the country’s total marine fish production in year 2007
Summary
Sri Lanka’s coastal fisheries contribute a greater share to the country’s total marine fish production compared to offshore and deep sea production. In 2007, the country’s coastal fish production was 150,000 metric tons (Fig. 1) which was about 60% of the total marine fish production and 52% of the total fish production in that year (NARA, 2007). According to NARA (2007), out of nine provinces of Sri Lanka, Eastern Province consisting of Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts provided around 13% of the country’s total marine fish production in year 2007. Proportion of fisherfolk population is high in Trincomalee district compared to other two districts of Eastern Province. Around 22% of the total population of Trincomalee district is fisherfolk members while Ampara and Batticaloa districts consists of 13% and 17% of their total population respectively
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