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TRINCOMALEE BAY SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA Page | 38
164. Crab fattening is also an important mariculture (aquaculture) practice in Kinniya which
has developed relatively recently. It is carried out in lagoons, in cages, which are fully
submerged resting on the bottom at 4-5 ft depth. Typically, wild caught mud crabs (Scylla
serrata), which have just molted, are held in the cages for about one month, and fed heavily
on raw fish (fish offal, sardines, and skate). The muscle tissue inside the shell increases
rapidly in mass and fills out the new shell. The crabs are then sold to buyers who transport
them to Colombo for export.
165. A private company has started a fish culture (sea bass) project in Thampalagamam
bay recently and there has been a mixed response from fishers recorded in the field studies.
The profit margin of the sea bass culture is not attractive for fishers when compare to the
cost of labour and the cost of the cage. On the other hand, the buying price is decided by the
company which is lower than the market price in Kinniya. The fishermen cannot develop their
own cage culture because they don’t have a mechanism to get the fingerlings. Discussion
with NAQDA revealed that it is planning to develop hatcheries but this will take another 2-3
years. Hence there is limited potential for fish culture due to market issues.
166. Thampalagamam bay used to be important for windowpane oysters (Placuna
placenta), and in the 1950s a total of more than 4 million oysters were harvested. However,
the industry was totally destroyed in 1957-1958 due to heavy floods, possibly exacerbated by
overexploitation. Pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera), green mussel (Perna viridis), and
horse mussel are commonly found in Clappenburg point and Inner Harbour area. Efforts are
necessary to revive the oyster industry, and studies are being carried out on raft culture for
mussels.
d. Tourism sector
167. Tourism is an important economic activity and has a long history in Trincomalee.
Organized tourism started almost 30 years back with the establishment of tourist hotels and
group tours by Colombo based tourism companies. The historical Koneswaran temple, hot
water wells in Kanniya and ancient Buddhist temples are well known tourist destinations.
Nilaveli beach is an attraction for foreign and domestic tourists. Puramalai (Pigeon) Island is
declared as a National Park by DWLC and is also an important asset for tourism.
Opportunities for whale and dolphin watching also exist and have potential for tourism (Ref.
0950) .
168. Trincomalee has long been called the Whale Watching Centre of Sri Lanka and in the
1980s a whale watching industry started to emerge, but was cut short by the conflict
situation. The Indian Ocean is an International Whaling Commission (IWC) Sanctuary and it
is thought that the populations of whale species are increasing. 26 species of the worlds 83
species of Whales, Dolphin and Porpoise have been recorded in Sri Lankan waters including
the iconic Blue, Humpback and Sperm Whales. Although the waters around Trincomalee
have been disturbed by security operations, fishermen still report numbers of whales and
dolphins close to the land. Cessation of military activities is likely to increase further the
numbers seen. Whale and dolphin watching from Trincomalee can be undertaken both from
land based viewpoints and boats, making it available to a wide range of visitors at an
attractive cost.
169. In 2005, the Ministry of Tourism announced a project to develop Trincomalee as a
‘Whale Capital”. The Project, as proposed, included an integrated oceanography centre using
Public Private Investment (PPI) and development of land held by the Sri Lanka Tourism
Development Authority (SLTDA) for tourism / leisure activities at Deadman’s Cove, Sweat
Bay, and Marble Bay. The Project still needs to be implemented.