The National Inland Fisheries Research and Development Centre shall1:
adapt, through research, known fresh water aquaculture technology to make possible its widespread application in Sri Lanka;
provide institutionalized, on-the-job training in fresh water aquaculture to Government extension personnel and to private aquaculturists;
arrange large-scale demonstration of intensive polyculture and of integrated cultures;
monitor effort and yield of existing inland fisheries and aquaculture;
establish a reference library on inland fisheries and fresh water aquaculture;
publish extension material (e.g., selection of sites for rural fish ponds, guidelines for pond construction, guidelines for stocking and management of seasonal tanks) in Sinhalese and in English;
maintain a fish farm, with a hatchery, and a training-cum-residential complex, extending over about 30 ha;
have a hatchery with a capacity to produce about 10 million carp fry every year, and ponds to permit the rearing of 5 million fry to fingerlings.
Annexes 15 and 18 provide information on the fry rearing and grow-out facilities. That same information will serve to identify the magnitude of facilities needed at NIFRDC, given its fingerling requirements.
A considerable investment will be made in the centre in the form of aquisition of land, employment of personnel and construction of physical infrastructure. The facilities must function as planned and, therefore, the criteria for selection of a suitable site should be adhered to as strictly as possible. They are described in detail in Section II F of the draft project document (see Annex 16). A few sites, thought to be suitable for NIFRDC, were examined in a preliminary survey carried out by the Mission's aquaculture engineer. The remainder of this annex contains his report.
1. Rajangana Tank, Anuradhapura District
The site is located on the downstream side of the Rajangana Tank along the right bank of Kala Oya about 40 km from Anaradhapura town. The land area available is almost 10 ha. The selected area was surveyed and levelled and a contour map prepared by the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation in September 1980. The differences in elevation at the site, as indicated on the map, are not more than two metres. The main water source is the existing irrigation canal from which water can be taken by pumping. Kala Oya could be used for gravity drainage of the ponds. The site is covered with thick jungle. Access is easy all the year round by an existing tract.
In order to ascertain soil conditions at the site, a subsurface exploration consisting of three boreholes was made by means of a 1.5 inch (in diameter) hand earth auger. According to the soil samples taken from the boreholes, each of two metres in depth, the selected site is not suitable for building ponds because underneath the clayey topsoil, clayey coarse sand and sandy gravel was encountered in each borehole. The rocky nature of the river bed and some boulders exposed throughout the area adjacent to the river indicate that probably these occur also in the jungle-covered area. Considering all the disadvantages, this site cannot be recommended.
2. Nachachaduwa Tank, Anuradhapura District
The site is located on the right side of the Irrigation Low Level Channel in the outskirts of Golumaradankulama village, 18 km by Minor Road from Anuradhapura town. Golumarandankulama village is connected to the main electricity supply. There is a power line at a distance of 1.5 km from the boundary site. The proposed area is 10 ha, which is flat paddy field divided by a distributory irrigation channel. This channel can be used for supplying water by gravity to the nursery and experimental ponds and probably to the production ponds as well. There is a dead river bed at the northern boundary of the site, which could be used for gravity drainage of the ponds. The soil samples from three 1.60 m deep boreholes show that the soil is clay to sandy clay and is therefore suitable for dike construction. If an additional area can be made available, this site is promising and it appears to be worth further investigation by way of detailed soil and topographic surveys.
3. Nuwara Wewa Tank, Anuradhapura District
The proposed site is located between the principal road from Anuradhapura to Medachchiya and the bund of Nuwara Wewa Tank about 2 km from Anuradhapura. The proposed area is 10 ha of paddy field with some scattered huts. There is a power line along the road. The land slopes slightly towards the town. Ponds can be provided with water through a siphon from the tank. There is a drainage canal system which would permit gravity drainage of the ponds. A reconnaissance soil survey of the selected site was made by drilling three boreholes to a depth of 1.80 m below ground level. The soil was mostly found to be sandy silty gravel and pure coarse sand in profiles, which suggests that the site is not suitable for ponds construction.
Mahakandrawa Reservoir, Anuradhapura District
The proposed site is located on higher land by the reservoir along the principal road from Anuradhapura to Trincomalee, about 17 km from Anuradhapura town. This site has the following disadvantages:
This site is not worth further investigation.
Kala Wewa Tank, Anuradhapura District
The proposed site is located in an area developed by the Mahaweli Project in the vicinity of Bulnewa village and 5 km from Galnewa town. The land area available is 6.1 ha, which was originally reserved for industrial projects. There is an electricity supply. Asphalt roads to the site are to be constructed. At a distance of 1.5 km a railway station is to be built on the line from Colombo to Trincomalee. The area is covered with jungle, but this is to be cleared. The main potential water source is the Left Bank Main Irrigation canal, which runs along the boundary of the site. However pumping would be necessary. The distributory canal No. 301 can be used for draining the ponds. The soil samples taken from two 2.0 m deep boreholes show clay and the soil is therefore suitable for bund construction. The site is promising and it appears to be worthy of more detailed investigation, provided a larger area can be made available. It is recommended:
that negotiations be begun with the Mahaweli Development Board in Colombo to acquire more land. There is an area of about 6 ha adjacent to the site which is reserved for homesteads of factory employees; and,
that a more detailed soil and topographic survey be made.
