Fishing Trials with Bottom-Set Longlines in Sri Lanka

WORKING PAPERS - BOBP/WP/6

Fishing Trials with Bottom-Set Longlines in Sri Lanka

by
G. Pajot
Fishing Technologist, Bay of Bengal Programme
K. T. Weerasooriya
Research Officer, Ministry of Fisheries, Sri Lanka

Executing Agency: FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Funding Agency: SWEDISH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Development of Small-Scale Fisheries in the Bay of Bengal Madras, India, October 1980

Table of Contents

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PREFACE
This paper is the first report of a project to produce better awareness and utilization of Sri Lanka’s demersal or bottom-dwelling fish resources. It describes the rationale, the mechanics and the findings of experiments conducted toward this end between October 1979 and March 1980. Specifically, the experiments were meant to ascertain the suitability of a well-known system of demersal fishery — bottom-set longlining — for Sri Lanka, and to investigate ways of advancing this fishery. The paper may be useful for fisheries planners and officials who are concerned with increasing fish supplies and for fisheries researchers concerned with new and better fishing methods. It may also serve as a guide for eventual extension if the experiments yield conclusive results. The experiments in demersal fishing are an activity of the Bay of Bengal Programme for the Development of Small-Scale Fisheries, GCP/RAS/040/SWE, in which the Ministry of Fisheries, Sri Lanka, is the cooperating agency. The Programme provided a fishing technologist, Mr. G. Pajot, to supervise theactivity and a consultant masterfisherman, Mr. H. H. Juliusson, to conduct fishing trials. The Ministry of Fisheries provided the services of a technical liaison officer, Mr. K. T. Weerasooriya, and a research assistant, Mr. S. S. C. Pieris. Other agencies involved in the project included Lion Trawlers Industries Limited (a private company that provided the boat and the crew used for the experiments); the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation (CFC), which supplied frozen bait to be used with the bottom longlines; and the Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation (CFHC) which processed fresh bait given by the CFC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WORKING PAPERS - BOBP/WP/6pdf

PREFACE

1. INTRODUCTION

2. THE FISHING BOAT, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

3. FISHING OPERATIONS

4. FINDINGS

5. RECOMMENDATIONS

TABLES

1. RECORDS OF THE FISHING OPERATIONS
2. DATA OF CATCH COMPOSITION

APPENDICES

1. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS OF BASES AND FISHING GROUNDS
2. THE FISHING BOAT USED FOR THE TRIALS - PHOTOGRAPH OF THE ECHO SOUNDER AND THE HYDRAULIC LINE HAULER
3. DESIGN AND SPECIFICATION OF THE LONGLINE

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