Success Stories In Asian Aquaculture - Library - Network of ...

118 U.S. Amarasinghe and T.T.T. Nguyenon the basis of technical and socioeconomic aspects. Figure 6.6 provides a simplifiedscheme for selecting suitable village reservoirs for the development of CBF.Two workshops on the application of research findings of the ACIAR-funded projectwere held in 2001 and 2003 to bring together all the stakeholder groups involvedin CBF. At these workshops, a number of crucial decisions pertaining to the popularizationof CBF in Sri Lanka, including legislative changes that are needed tofacilitate developments were arrived at and were subsequently implemented.Accordingly, it has been recognized that steps be taken to formalize and improvethe cooperation and links between aquaculture development authorities (i.e.,NAQDA) and the relevant government authorities responsible for water management(i.e., Department of Agrarian Development). It is also recognized that steps betaken to regularize CBF in minor irrigation reservoirs, under the AgrarianDevelopment Act (No. 47 of 2000), to provide a legal basis to the communitiesinvolved in CBF activities.A documentary film on the CBF in non-perennial reservoirs of Sri Lanka entitled,“Visitors at the Water’s edge” (Sinhalese: Wewata Amuththo Ewith ) was producedand presented to the Honorable Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources onFebruary 10, 2006. This documentary film was telecasted in the national TV channel.This documentary film is presently being used by NAQDA as an extension material.The mechanisms of disseminating research findings to the rural communitieswere essentially through the AEOs who provide technical advice on stocking densitiesbased on the findings of research. Owing to the constraints associated withpacking, transport, and high production costs, stocking size is presently restrictedto about 5 cm. Currently, fish fingerlings are transported in oxygen-filled polythenebags, and hence, high-packing densities are impracticable.As the stocked fishes are harvested using seine nets at the end of the cultureperiod after the reservoir water level recedes during the dry season, it is necessaryto make the bottom of the reservoir free from obstacles to fishing in the deepest partwhere a puddle of water often remains during the harvesting season.6.6 CBF Knowledge Translated into PracticeIt is a common situation that scientific findings are not readily adopted by the topleveland mid-level government officials for varying reasons. In the ACIAR-fundedproject for the CBF development, efforts were made to address the issue of theknowledge gap between research and development during the planning phase of theproject, as a part of the influencing strategy in the project. As NAQDA is responsiblefor the CBF development in village reservoirs, the National ProjectCoordinating Chair was assigned to the Director General of NAQDA.The ADB funded “Aquatic Resources Development and Quality ImprovementProject” commenced in 2002 aimed at the development of inland fisheries in SriLanka, and the development of CBF as a major component. The findings of