🌊 Sri Lanka Fisheries Sector: Lessons for a Sustainable Blue Economy

Sri Lanka’s fisheries sector is shifting focus from increasing catch volumes to value addition, ecosystem protection, and inclusive governance to ensure long-term sustainability. • Sector Overview (2024) • Total Production: ~410,760 MT (marine fisheries ~308,430 MT; inland & aquaculture ~102,330 MT) • Export Earnings: ~US$ 285 Mn • Livelihoods: ~189,000 marine fishing households dependent on the sector • Strategic Transformation & Value Chain • Transitioning from traditional methods like beach-seine (Ma-del)—which previously accounted for over 40% of fish landings—to mechanization and value addition. • Focus on reducing post-harvest losses, improving cold chains, quality certification, and traceability rather than over-expanding harvest capacity. • Highlighting the unrecorded economic contributions of women in processing, trading, and post-harvest operations. • Regional Insights & Climate Resilience • Diversifying inland fisheries and aquaculture alongside ocean governance, drawing lessons from regional models (Maldives, Bangladesh, Cambodia). • Integrating climate adaptation policies to safeguard livelihoods against shifting fish stocks, weather risks, and rising fuel costs.