Only when the small-scale fishers of Sri Lanka willingly adopt social security mechanisms can their sector be protected and assured of a sustainable future.

Fisheries play a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s socio-economic development, providing 50 per cent of the animal protein for the population, contributing to 2.6 per cent of the exports, and securing livelihood opportunities for 6.5 per cent of the country’s employed population. Sri Lankan fisheries can be categorized into marine and inland (freshwater) fisheries. The marine sector can be divided into three sub-categories: offshore, operated by multi-day boats beyond the continental shelf; coastal waters on the relatively narrow, continental shelf in which traditional craft and boats with outboard and inboard engines operate; and lagoon and brackish water fisheries.