Browsing by Author "Malshani, P.K.T."

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    Assessment of Coral Health along the Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2020) Balasooriya, L.B.A.K.S.; Thilakarathne, E.P.D.N.; Abeygunawardana, A.P. A; Egodauyana, K.P.T.U; Malshani, P.K.T.
    Corals are called as most diverse and valuable ecosystems on the earth, disclose their productivity and ecological benefits. Today coral community is degraded and diseases are the distinguishing factor that affects coral health conditions. Absence of the proper health level with any kind of abnormalities called as a disease. In the sense of the view, some are infectious and others are not (genetically-based or toxicant-induced disorders). Lesions or mutations and significant color changes occur due to disease of the coral reefs. Since there is no scientific health assessment on reefs in Sri Lanka has been undertaken to this date, a study was carried out in the final quarter of 2019, using visual observation method by snorkeling and diving over transect lines of most significant & prime fringing coral reefs; Passikudha, Kayenkerni, Adukkuparu, Parrot rock and Pigeon Island reefs of the Eastern coast. 30 transect lines consisted of 50 m length were surveyed per site. The result of the study showed that 07 coral diseases from the Eastern coast were identified under Tissue Loss, Tissue Discoloration, Growth Anomalies and Compromised Health disease categories. 104 of coral species were recorded under 13 families and 65 species out of them were possessed any kind of diseases. All coral reefs were highly threatened due to “compromised health problems and tissue discoloration (white; bleaching) diseases. Most disease vulnerable coral families were, Acroporidae, Agariciidae, and Pocilloporidae. Acropora valenciennesi, Coeloseris mayeri, and Pocillopora damicornis from each family encounter the higher correlation with disease vulnerability. Adukkuparu and Parrot rock reefs were respectively the most and least diseased sites. Considerable natural and disagreeable anthropogenic effects may be the reason for these utmost outbreed health problems. Augmentation of ecosystem management and conservation plans with more researches on health issues may help to protect above coral communities. Keywords: Coral diseases, Tissue loss, Tissue discoloration, Compromised health problems, Natural and anthropogenic effects
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    Present Status of the Marine Aquarium Fishery in the Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2020) Dhanasundara, I.P.T.P.; Thilakarathne, E.P.D.N.; Dias, P.C.B.; Egodauyana, K.P.U. T.; Malshani, P.K.T.
    Marine aquarium industry is a popular multimillionaire industry in the world and a considerable amount of global market is fulfilled by exporting from Sri Lanka since its beginning. Almost all marine ornamental species of Sri Lanka are collected from wild habitats which cause serious stock degradation of endemic and other marine species. The collection of marine ornaments has been establishing as a community-based industry on the Eastern coast of Sri Lanka due to high resource availability and accessibility compared to other regions; however, it is poorly documented. Therefore, a survey was designed to study the situation, threats, and issues of the industry on the East coast by using a questionnaire-based survey combined with field observations. Information was gathered from the collectors, suppliers, buyers, fisheries officers, and other relevant stakeholders. Almost 190 fish collectors and 15 suppliers are currently occupying during the southwestern monsoon period roughly from May to October in the Eastern coast. About 250 marine fish species (mainly butterflyfish, angelfish, damselfish, gobies, wrasses, surgeonfish, groupers, blennies & lionfish) and 50 marine invertebrate species (shrimps, Anemones, Sea Slugs & Sea lilies) are being collected mainly from Ottamavadi, Pasikudah, Kalkudah, Paul point, Adukkuparu, and Nilaweli reefs and rocky habitats. However, 01 - 05% of fish are discarding due to catching issues and 05 - 10% of caught fish are discarding due to improper handling, holding, and packing methods before reaching to local exporters. Dynamite fishing, overexploitation, fluctuations of price levels, mishandling of caught live forms, degradation of reef habitats due to natural and anthropogenic factors are the main identified threats so that the industry in the Eastern coast is certainly unsustainable. Therefore, it is highly recommended that a powerful management system should be rapidly established for the benefit of valuable marine ecosystems and the industry. Keywords: Marine ornamental fish, Reef fish, Color fish, Trincomalee, Batticaloa