Institutional Robustness of Culture-based Fisheries in Perennial Reservoirs of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The utilisation of irrigation reservoirs for culture-based fisheries (CBF) development is a recent development in Sri Lanka. The trends in CBF development in five reservoirs were investigated, to identify the robustness of institutional arrangements in the rural fisheries organisations (RFOs) for the sustainability of CBF. Basic socio-economic characteristics of five fisher communities showed enabling features for implementing CBF through community participation. After the introduction of CBF, fish species composition in the landings changed with the occurrence of stocked species in the landings, resulting remarkablyelevated fishers’ income ranging from 194% to 2187% in Urusita and Ampara reservoirs respectively. The CBF management options of RFOs in two reservoirs, viz. Ampara and Jayanthi were at high compliance levels of Ostrom’s modified design principles, where fishers enjoyed increased mean annual income registering 2187% in Ampara and 409% in Jayanthi reservoirs after introduction of CBF. In Senanayake Samudra, where there was moderate compliance, there was 249% increase in CBF income. However, the lowest increase of income (194%) in Urusita reservoir was due to high annual fisheries income even during pre-CBF period. In Hambegamuwa reservoir, where levels of compliance of RFOs with design principles were relatively poor compared to other four fisher communities, increase of fishers’ CBF income, compared to that of pre-CBF period, was marginal (202%). Economic gains of RFOs due to increased levels of compliance with design principles through improving leadership qualities and empowering fishers for management decision-making would,therefore,ensure sustainability of CBF.