1) The fisheries sector in Sri Lanka contributes around 1.3% to GDP and employs over 650,000 people directly and indirectly. 2) In 2012, Sri Lankan seafood companies exported over 18,000 tonnes of seafood worth US$206 million, with fresh and frozen finfish making up the majority. 3) The main export destinations for Sri Lankan seafood are countries in the European Union, Southeast Asia, and North America under NAFTA agreements. Exports of Sri Lankan crab to NAFTA countries increased 140% in 2011.

1. Premasiri Gamage
premasirigamage@yahoo.com

2.  Sri Lanka has considerable fisheries potential
in offshore/deep sea, inland fisheries and
aquaculture.
 Fisheries sector contributes around 1.3% to
GDP in 2012
 employs over 650,000 people directly and
indirectly through related activities.
 The fishery sector in Sri Lanka provides
direct employment to 262,530 active fishers
engaged in both marine and freshwater
fisheries and aquaculture.

3.  A further 277,470 people are indirectly
engaged services and marketing, in coastal
communities around the country.

4. Sri Lankan seafood companies exported over
18,000 t of seafood products, equivalent to
almost 4% of Sri Lanka’s total marine and
coastal fish landings and coastal aquaculture
production (417,200 t) in 2012

5. The ‘year on year’ total value of Sri Lankan
seafood exports grew by 10% in 2012,
generating revenues in excess of US$ 206
million (LKR 26,363 million).

6. Fresh and frozen finfish products account for
the majority of Sri Lankan seafood exports in
terms of both quantity (70%) and value (71%).

9. Seafood Export Destinations
Member countries of the European Union (EU),
Southeast and East Asia countries and member
countries of the North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) are the main destinations
for Sri Lankan seafood products. EU countries,
notably Italy, German, the United Kingdom,
France, The Netherlands and Ireland, were
important export destinations for Sri Lankan
fresh fish products in 2011.

10. Exports of Sri Lankan crab products to NATFA
countries increased by 140% in 2011
 Sri Lankan crab products exported to the
USA accounted for 40% of the total annual
export earnings from Sri Lankan crab
products in 2011, worth around US$ 6
million.

11.  The fishery sector in Sri Lanka comprises
offshore, coastal and freshwater fisheries, as
well as coastal and freshwater aquaculture.
 Total fish production in Sri Lanka was
575,200 t in 2012: 45% from offshore
fisheries, 41% from coastal fisheries, 14%
from freshwater fisheries and aquaculture.

12.  Consumption of fresh fish and fish products
provides Sri Lankans with over 60% of their
nutritional protein requirement.
 Annual per capita fish supply for
consumption for 2012 was 14.5 kg.
Employment, income, wealth and well-being
are all products of the fishery sector in Sri
Lanka.

13.  4,080 fishing vessels, representing 8% the
total Sri Lankan fishing fleet (53,270 vessels),
were engaged in the offshore fishery sector in
2012. Offshore fishing vessels harvest fish
using drifting gill nets, long lines or
combination gears of gillnets and long lines.

14.  The offshore fishing fleet operates from 20
harbors and around 30 anchorages along the
Sri Lankan coast.
 49,190 fishing craft, equivalent to 92% of the
total Sri Lankan fishing fleet (53,270), were
engaged in demersal and pelagic coastal
fisheries in 2012.

15.  The coastal fishing fleet operates from more
than 1,000 small landing centers. 22,800
(43%) of coastal fishing craft were non
mechanized traditional craft.

16.  The freshwater fishery in Sri Lanka is
dominated by introduced varieties of tilapia
(Tilapia spp.,), with smaller catches of
stocked Indian (i.e., catla, rohu, mrigal) and
Chinese (i.e., common, bighead and grass)
carps.

17.  Tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon) are the
main product of coastal aquaculture
operations and Indian and Chinese carps are
produced from freshwater aquaculture,
mainly in small irrigation reservoirs.

18.  All aspects of the fishery sector in Sri Lanka -
participation, harvesting, post harvest
processing and export - are managed in
accordance with the regulations set out in the
Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Act, No. 2 of
1996 and subsequent amendments
pertaining to the same.

19. Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Act include
The Registration of Fishing Boats Regulations (1996);
The Fishing Operation Regulations (1996);
Fisheries (Register) Regulations (1997)
Fish Processing Establishment Regulations (1998)
Fish Products (Export) Regulations (1998)
The Mono-filament Net Prohibition Regulation (2006);
The Lobster Fishing Operation Regulations (2009);
The Local Fishing Boats (Life Jackets) Regulation (2008);
Fishing Boats Safety (Design, Construction and Equipment)
Regulations (2009);
The Fishing Import and Export Regulation (2010) and
The Prohibition of Catching Thresher Shark (Kasa Mora) Regulation
(2012)

20.  fish provides 72 percent of the animal
protein requirements of the Sri Lankan
population.
 The per capita fish intake of Sri Lanka has
increased from 22 grams per day in 2009 to
45 grams per day now but it is still far below
the target of 60gms/ day, based on WHO
recommendations to prevent malnutrition.

21.  The coastline of the country is 1,700 km.
 Annual marine fish production is estimated
250 000 metric.tons. ( Current production
160,000 Mt)

 Sri Lanka has 200 Nm exclusive economic
zone following 517,00 sq.km.

22.  Share in the world export 0.2%
 Export income from fish sector USD 270 M
 80% of the active fishers have attended only
primary schools.


23.  State employment 5,000
 Private sector employment 400,000

24. 