Indo-Sri Lanka Fishing Conflict in the Palk Bay and Its Implications for Fisheries

After the 30-year long civil war was over, the Government of Sri Lanka commenced an accelerated programme to develop the Northern Province. If not carefully planned, such a programme will result in the loss of biodiversity and the consequent loss of services that ecosystems provide humans. Therefore, documenting the biodiversity found within coastal, nearshore and offshore islands of the Northern Province was identified as a need that would help both planners and conservation biologists alike. This report presents the results of a rapid biodiversity assessment of a 949 km stretch from Mannar to the Kokkilai Lagoon, including 22 coastal islands, five coastal stretches and four lagoons, extending across four districts (Jaffna, Mannar, Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu), 20 Divisional Secretariats Divisions and 264 Grama Niladhari Divisions. For terrestrial ecosystems, assessments were carried out during November 2015 and March 2016, and for marine surveys in the coastal waters of Palk Bay and Palk Strait, during November 2015 and March 2016.

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Morphometric Relationships in the Blue Swimming Crabs, (Portunus pelagicus) (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Palk Bay, Sri Lanka

Asian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Research ◽

10.9734/ajfar/2021/v11i230199 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 29-38

Author(s):

S. S. K. Haputhantri ◽

S. J. W. W. M. M. P. Weerasekera ◽

K. H. K. Bandaranayake

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Carapace Width ◽

Swimming Crab ◽

Allometric Growth ◽

Movable Part ◽

Portunus Pelagicus ◽

Mouth Width ◽

Biological Sampling ◽

Palk Bay ◽

Swimming Crabs

The blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus) has become the focus of an important export-oriented fishery in Sri Lanka for a decade. The Palk Bay in the Northern coastal waters of Sri Lanka is one of the best-known fishing grounds for blue swimming crabs in Sri Lanka. This study was undertaken with the aim of establishing some morphometric relationships for P. pelagicus in the Palk Bay. Biological sampling was conducted for five consecutive days per month from November 2014 - October 2015 in the Northern landing sites in the Jaffna District where the catch of Palk Bay blue swimming crab fishery was landed. P. pelagicus specimens were also randomly collected for laboratory analysis. The morphometric measurements of the specimens for the following parameters were undertaken: CW - carapace width with the spine, CWW - carapace width without spine, MW – mouth width, TL - total length, LCPL - left chelar propodus length, LMOV - left movable part Length, RMOV - right movable part length, LCPH - left chelar propodus height, RCPH - right chelar propodus height, ABW - abdominal width, ABL - abdominal length and BW - body weight. The least squared method was used to obtain the Length-Length (L-L) and Length-Weight (L-W) relationships. Of the 65 L-L relationships obtained for P. pelagicus from the study, 34 relationships were correlated (r2>0.5). The estimated relationships between BW and CW for males and females were BW=0.0001 CW 3.01 (r2 =0.84) and BW= 0.0001 CW 2.90 (r2 =0.86), respectively. Positive allometric growth was observed for male P. pelagicus, whereas a negative allometric growth was observed for female P. pelagicus. Most of the morphometric relationships of P. pelagicus obtained in this study were not isometric.

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Abstract #604: Detection of Cardiovascular Risk Factors by Anthropometric Measures in Adults Living in an Urban Setting in Sri Lanka

Endocrine Practice ◽

10.1016/s1530-891x(20)42668-0 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

pp. 114-115

Author(s):

Kavinga Gunawardane ◽

Noel Somasundaram ◽

Neil Thalagala ◽

Pubudu Chulasiri ◽

Sudath Fernando

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽

Urban Setting ◽

Anthropometric Measures

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Prevalence of Suicidal Ideation in Sri Lanka

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000010 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 30-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sudath Samaraweera ◽

Athula Sumathipala ◽

Sisira Siribaddana ◽

S. Sivayogan ◽

Dinesh Bhugra

Keyword(s):

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

General Population ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

National Average ◽

The West ◽

Suicide Methods ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Completed Suicide ◽

The World

Background: Suicidal ideation can often lead to suicide attempts and completed suicide. Studies have shown that Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of suicide in the world but so far no studies have looked at prevalence of suicidal ideation in a general population in Sri Lanka. Aims: We wanted to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation by randomly selecting six Divisional Secretariats (Dss) out of 17 in one district. This district is known to have higher than national average rates of suicide. Methods: 808 participants were interviewed using Sinhala versions of GHQ-30 and Beck’s Scale for Suicidal Ideation. Of these, 387 (48%) were males, and 421 (52%) were female. Results: On Beck’s Scale for Suicidal Ideation, 29 individuals (4%) had active suicidal ideation and 23 (3%) had passive suicidal ideation. The active suicidal ideators were young, physically ill and had higher levels of helplessness and hopelessness. Conclusions: The prevalence of suicidal ideation in Sri Lanka is lower than reported from the West and yet suicide rates are higher. Further work must explore cultural and religious factors.

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Suicide on the Indian Subcontinent

Crisis ◽

10.1027//0227-5910.23.3.104 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 104-107 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Murad M. Khan

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Indian Subcontinent ◽

Interpersonal Relationship ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Elderly Subjects ◽

Important Public Health Problem ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Formidable Challenge ◽

Causative Factors

Summary: The Indian subcontinent comprises eight countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and the Maldives) and a collective population of more than 1.3 billion people. 10% of the world's suicides (more than 100,000 people) take place in just three of these countries, viz. India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. There is very little information on suicides from the other four countries. Some differences from suicides in Western countries include the high use of organophosphate insecticides, larger numbers of married women, fewer elderly subjects, and interpersonal relationship problems and life events as important causative factors. There is need for more and better information regarding suicide in the countries of the Indian subcontinent. In particular, studies must address culture-specific risk factors associated with suicide in these countries. The prevention of this important public health problem in an area of the world with myriad socio-economic problems, meager resources, and stigmatization of mental illness poses a formidable challenge to mental health professionals, policy makers, and governments of these countries.

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