Alternative resilient livelihood option for fisher-folks tsunami victims

2.1 Gracilaria farming
Wooden rafts with dimension of 10m X 5m were floated with floats (Figure 1). Coir lines were
stretched between the frames and the lines were supported by another lines running perpendicular to
the main line. Vegetative cuttings of Gracilaria plants were collected from Sinnakalappu (Ampara
District). The average weight of seed stock 20 grams each which is tied to the line at 25cm interval
(Figure 2). Grow-out lines were spaced at intervals varying between 0.2 m. Dirt that clings to the
seaweeds were removed thrice in a week. Once seaweeds are 2 ½ to 3 months old, we started
harvesting them. During the farming time fish in the surrounding area were collected by using fish
traps and were identified to the lowest taxonomic level using FAO species identification field guide
for fishery purpose of Sri Lanka by George et al., 1994 and Munro, 1955.
Figure 3: Seaweed raft
Figure 2: Growing in rafts
2.2 Crab fattening
The crab fattening training programmes were executed for 20 fisher women by our resource
persons. After the training programme, each of them were provided with a crab cage measuring
1.5m x 1.5m x 0.5m (Figure 3) and watery crabs weighing more than 400g. The cages were made
out of wooden frames with Palmyra petiole basement. This type of cage was designed in an
environmentally friendly manner to minimize the physical damages on the crabs and for the
reusability of the cages. Crab cages were set up into the shallow water fronts of the Batticaloa
lagoon at different location shown in Figure 5. We have selected only 5 cages for our studies out of
20 cages. Each cage was seeded with 10 crablings and trash fish fed at the rate of 10% of the
biomass of the crab at two intervals every day. Sampling of crabs was done on a weekly basis. The
body weight (BW), carapace length (CL) and percentage of survival crabs were calculated from the
total harvest. In our experiment, mean number of crabs surviving and mean number of crabs
declined (mortality) were calculated over time (months) in all the five cages. Weights of crabs at the
time of harvest were measured from this average weight gained was calculated and percentage
weight gain was calculated.