Present Status of Fishery Resources Utilisation in the Panama Lagoon, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The Panama Lagoon situated on the east coast of Sri Lanka is a relatively small brackish water lagoon. The lagoon ecosystem currently indicates signs of degradation that is apparently due to the continuous development and economic activities such as fisheries, agriculture and tourism. This study was undertaken with the aim of assessing the present status of fishery resources utilisation in Panama Lagoon. Accordingly, the lagoon fishery was monitored from February 2017 to December 2017 at three major landing sites where the daily catches brought by the fishers were sampled on a monthly basis (n = 119). During the study, a total number of 54 fish species from 30 families were recorded among which the members of the family Mugilidae contributed 28 % of the total catch. Fibreglass canoe with an outrigger was the only fishing craft used in the lagoon. Gill nets, cast net and pole and line were the fishing gears used in the lagoon. Around 80 % of the total catch had come from gill nets. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) for the gill nets was 3.53 ± 2.13 kg.boat -1 . It was 10.90 ± 6.02 kg.boat -1 and 1.10 ± 0.89 kg.boat -1 for the cast nets and the pole and line, respectively. The average CPUE during the study period was calculated at 4.85 ± 2.94 kg.boat -1 . In 2017 the total annual fish production of the Panama Lagoon was estimated as 1742.9 kg.km -2 yr -1 . The fisheries productivity in Panama Lagoon has declined when compared with previous studies.