Fishing Trials with Bottom-Set Longlines in Sri Lanka - BOBP/WP/6

Abstract

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 pa per 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 agen cy. 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 Ceylo n 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.