Culture‐based fisheries in non‐perennial reservoirs in Sri Lanka: production and relative performance of stocked species

Abstract

In Sri Lanka, there is a great potential for the development of culture‐based fisheries because of the availability of around 12 000 non‐perennial reservoirs in the dry zone ( Catla catla Hamilton and rohu Labeo rohita Hamilton) and Chinese (bighead carp Aristichthys nobilis Richardson) major carps, common carp Cyprinus carpio L., genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT) strain of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) and post‐larvae of giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii De Man, at three different species combinations and overall stocking densities (SD) ranging from 218 to 3902 fingerlings ha −1 , during the 2002–2003 culture cycle. Of the 32 reservoirs stocked, reliable data on harvest were obtained from 25 reservoirs. Fish yield ranged from 53 to 1801 kg ha −1 and the yields of non‐perennial reservoirs in southern region were significantly ( P P P a and fish yield exhibited a positive second order relationship ( P P O. niloticus had the lowest specific growth rate among stocked species and freshwater prawn had a low return.

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