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Significance of Mangrove Biodiversity Conservation in Fishery Production and Living Conditions of Coastal Communities in Sri Lanka

Authors :
Chaya Sarathchandra
Stephan Kambach
Sameera Chathuranga Ariyarathna
Jianchu Xu
Rhett D. Harrison
Sriyani Wickramasinghe
Source :
Diversity, Vol 10, Iss 2, p 20 (2018)
Publication Year :
2018
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2018.

Abstract

Sri Lanka is an island nation where ~59% of the population live in coastal regions. The main income source in these areas is fishing, which contributes to ~44% of the national GDP. Fishery resources depend on mangroves, especially in estuaries and lagoons, as mangroves provide the best nursery grounds for both brackish and marine species that are significant for the island’s fishing industry. However, growing pressures from an increasing population and development are causing substantial damage to mangroves resulting in loss of mangrove diversity. We analyzed whether variation in mangrove diversity within a lagoon system affects fishery production and livelihoods. Along the lagoon we selected three sites, which were 5 km apart from each other, for the survey. We used three 50 m long transects at each site for faunal and floral diversity assessments. The fishery catch was recorded from three crafts in each side. The socio-economic survey was conducted in 30 households per site using a standard questionnaire. In the site with the highest floral and faunal diversity, we also recorded the highest fish catch, but not the highest crab or shrimp catches. Our results confirm that higher mangrove diversity—and not just area—supports higher income generation. Thus, future development should prioritize biodiversity conservation in coastal regions.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
14242818 and 10020020
Volume :
10
Issue :
2
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Diversity
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.6b20499729094e2dbf99352da5aae1a8
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/d10020020