Role of fishermen in implementing management strategies in the reservoirs of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The socioeconomics of six fishing communities in four man-made reservoirs of Sri Lanka was studied to investigate the potential contribution of fishermen to effective management. Adopting illegal fishing methods and changing fishing grounds are two of the socioeeonamic indicators of low incane derived fran the fishery. The fishermen in all six fishing communities were willing to comply with any fishery regulation provided the fishermen unanimously agreed to the regulation. This suggests that effective management strategies, which will contribute to increasing the fishermen's income, can be implemented through properly organized extension societies in the reservoirs of Sri Lanka.