Browsing by Author "Kumara, U."

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Conflicts and conflict prevention in perennial reservoir fisheries management
(Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, 2008) Kumara, U.; Siriwardena, N.; Lidzba, C.
In comparison to marine fisheries, reservoir capture fisheries in Sri Lanka have a relatively short history. Therefore, this sector faces the absence of well-defined user rights, properly established structures and mechanisms, and long-term experiences. At the early stages the social recognition of fish-ing for an income had been very low, only the poorest strata of the communi-ties engaged in fisheries. More recently, the growing population and the in-creasing scarcity of resources force rural people to seek incomes supplemen-tary or alternative to agriculture. This has led to a continuously increasing number of people depending on a cash income from reservoir fisheries. Expe-rience of the Fisheries Community Development and Resources Management Project indicates that so far neither Fisheries Co-operative Societies nor the Fisheries Management Committees can cope with the increasing demand on the reservoir fisheries. This paper looks at social, distributional, institutional and historical issues that have led to conflicts among the fishers and ham-pered the proper management of the fisheries resources. Considering the pre-vailing local socio-cultural conditions, conflicts will continue to arise in res-ervoir fisheries management. However, it is possible to prevent or minimise conflicts through sensitive social organising and negotiation. Conflict resolu-tion will always and should always be a central part of inland fisheries man-agement and extension work in Sri Lanka. Therefore, sensitisation, capacity building and training of local fishers and extension staff in conflict recogni-tion, resolution and negotiation skills are crucial for the establishment of a sustainable, participatory management system.
Fish farming in seasonal reservoirs: Beyond technical feasibility
(Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, 2008) Lidzba, C.; Siriwardena, N.; Kumara, U.
The Fisheries Community Development and Resource Manage-ment Project (FCDRMP) has tested community-based carp polyculture programmes in seasonal minor irrigation reservoirs in the Hambantota and the Monaragala districts of the southern dry zone of Sri Lanka since 1999. Seasonal reservoirs that are technically feasible for fish farming were se-lected for the implementation of the programme. The potential fish farm-ers were mobilised mainly through the local farmer organisation. In rare cases, extension staff mobilised people informally. As the main purpose of seasonal reservoirs is the irrigation of paddy lands, the fish farming pro-gramme is part of a complex system of resource uses. Ignoring this com-plexity and excluding the social dynamics within this system result in a high economic and social cost. Out of a sample of 20 reservoirs supported by FCDRMP in 2004, 18 faced serious non-technical problems. By high-lighting the social and institutional hindrances the project has experienced, this paper draws attention to the importance of a more holistic approach in planning and implementing fish farming programmes in seasonal reser-voirs. An assessment of the local social dynamics and the participation of the community during the planning and implementation stages of fish farming are crucial. In order to recognise, prevent or resolve potential and actual problems and conflicts, a different approach to extension services is necessary.
How participatory is inland fisheries co-management in Sri Lanka?
(Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, 2008) Lidzba, C.; Siriwardena, N.; Kumara, U.
Participatory and co-management systems in reservoir fisheries have a relatively short history in Sri Lanka. The legal foundation for such management systems has been provided by the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act of 1996. Based on these legal pre-conditions, the Fisheries Community Development and Resource Management Project has pro-moted the co-management approach in eight perennial reservoirs in the Hambantota and the Monaragala Districts in the southern dry zone of Sri Lanka. Despite the progressive legal provisions, the project experience indicates that the institutional framework and infrastructure for extension are so far not favourable for the proper implementation of co-management systems in Sri Lanka. This paper argues that the fisheries co-management presently established is of the instrumental type where the fishers are only involved in the implementation process. Among other recommendations the paper stresses the importance of a better representation of fishers in fisheries decision-making and to move towards a more functional decen-tralisation. This could be achieved by a better organisational structure and procedures that are legally better-defined, and by providing guidelines and training that would compel and support the fisheries administration and extension staff to consult the fishers and consider their views.
Participatory monitoring of perennial reservoir fisheries management
(Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, 2008) Arunashanta, I.A.D.R.; Kumara, U.; Hermes, R.
The Fisheries Community Development and Resources Management Project (FCDRMP) has facilitated community-based fisheries management (CBFM) approaches in eight perennial reservoirs in the southern dry zone of Sri Lanka since 1999. Empowering the fisher communities to manage their own resources and reducing the need for government intervention are an im-portant prerequisites for functional co-management. Communities must be able to analyse their own situation, make decisions, and take actions accord-ingly. In order to develop this ability, Fisheries Management Committees (FMCs) were strengthened to formulate their respective management plans and monitor plan implementation. This paper describes different stages of the participatory planning process and presents details on visioning, fears and expectations, roles and functions, as well as goal and objectives of these plans. Historic trends in reservoir fisheries are used to illustrate management concepts, objectives and targets. A participatory monitoring system was de-veloped with the fishers in order to assess the progress of plan implementa-tion with regard to gear and effort restrictions and other regulatory measures, which were jointly agreed upon. Initial economic and social impacts were discussed and recorded in monthly monitoring meetings. Participatory fish catch monitoring allowed the identification of catch rates, financial returns and seasonal fluctuations of fishing effort. Participatory planning and moni-toring are essential components in CBFM approaches. They help to develop a sense of ownership among resource users, but still require considerable ex-ternal facilitation. This service should be provided by extension staff who are sensitized to participatory processes and work in an enabling institutional environment.
SWA+BHAAWA (NATURE): DEFINITION AND UNDERSTANDING
(European Journal of Social Sciences Studies, 2021) Jayantha, K; Ariyawansa, R.; Kumara, U.
The amazing creation of nature is the result of millions of years of continuous existence. It tells a triumphant story about the adaptation of endangered species to a variety of environmental factors. Behind the natural phenomena that include all species such as animals, plants and planets is a dynamic invisible scene. This study explored the doctrine that underlies the active concept of nature. The need to understand what nature is in the long journey of discovering the definition of the concept of sustainability was the main motivation for this study. The objectives of the study were to 1. understand the concept of ‘swabhaawa dharma’ or ‘swabhawa’ (nature) through pada vibhaṁgakaraṇaya’ (word dissociation) method; 2. understand the concept of nature through synonyms; 3. understand the concept of of nature through dictionary definitions; 4. understand the concept of nature through experts' opinions; 5. understand the concept of nature through the ‘nirukthi’ method; 6. understand the concept of nature through findings by scholars and 7. understand the concept of nature by identifying the elements of nature. The study used a descriptive analysis methodology and a ‘sakaaya pada nirukthi’ method for data analysis. As the study data were available in the native language, that is, in Sinhala, the ‘sakaaya pada nirukthi’ method was used as the most appropriate methodology. Given this study’s nature, a novel technique called ‘vida darshanaya’ was successfully used to implement this study’s objectives. Finally, the study found that the concept of nature is mechanized on six components.