This paper reviews potential impacts of climate change on Sri Lankan Fisheries and Aquaculture together with certain possible measures that the nation can adapt to cope with the impacts. The sea level rise has been identified as the mostly affecting factor on the Sri Lankan Fisheries and Aquaculture. | Journal of Fisheries science and Technology - 2016 POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE IN SRI LANKA (ROAMING THROUGH THE CLIMATE CHANGE MANAGEMENT STORIES OF SRI LANKA) Jayasinghe , Niroshana Received: 07/6/2016; Revised: 29/7/2016; Accepted: 26/9/2016 ABSTRACT There is an increasing concern over the effects of climate change on aquaculture worldwide. Given a mounting evidence of the impacts of climate variability and change on aquatic ecosystems, the resulting impacts on fisheries and aquaculture are likely to be substantial in Sri Lanka. This paper reviews potential impacts of climate change on Sri Lankan Fisheries and Aquaculture together with certain possible measures that the nation can adapt to cope with the impacts. The sea level rise has been identified as the mostly affecting factor on the Sri Lankan Fisheries and Aquaculture. Through ArcGIS techniques, the study has found that in Puttalam district , , and of aquaculture farm areas will be irreversibly affected by the future sea level rising in 2025, 2050, 2075 and 2100, respectively. Insights to the possible coping strategies were also provided in the study for the government, NGOs and the private sector to cooperate collectively in search of most suitable solutions to deal with climate change. Keywords: Climate change, impacts, aquaculture I. INTRODUCTION It is a well-known fact that Sri Lanka earns a high amount of income from its fisheries and moreover the sector provides about 540,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities people island wide (The Ministry of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development, 2016). Fishery constitutes the major economic activity in the coastal region which contains 25% of the population. The fishery sector has received much attention in the national development agenda as shown by its recognition (Climate Change Secretariat and Ministry of Environment Sri Lanka, 2010). Although Sri Lanka is endowed with .
