CENTER FOR LIVING AQUATIC RESOURCES RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT.
Regional Research Center of Panapitiya is situated at Horana Kalutara Road in Kalutara District, Western Province, 6km away from Galle Road (Nagas Junction) adjacent to flood controlling dam. This facility had been abandoned due to the stoppage of government patronage to the food fish industry since 1989 and NARAregains its operations in 2012.Since then NARA is continuing developing activities with the aim of establishing service hub for ornamental fish farmers in the district and all Island.
Objectives
Identifying the provincial issues of the farmers, related to aquaculture and finding solutions to mitigate those problems.
Developing ornamental aquaculture practices at Panapitiya Center using the available resources as an income generating source.
Conducting selective breeding programmes for KOI.
Transferring the technical knowhow to the farmers.
Issuing the ornamental fish,fish brooders for the farmers.
Conducting research activities to be introduce cost effective and scientifically tested ornamental fish feed.
Current specific activities
Rearing and breeding of Koi Carp, Angel Fish and Tin Foil Barb as an income generating source.
Issuing brood KOI fish and other ornamental fish development stages to fish farmers and the rest of the community.
Maintaining a brood stock of KOI Fish.
Developing stage specific economical fish feed and floating fish feed.
Finding out the value adding possibilities of invasive and alien Knife Fish (Mannaya/Mannawa) which is a threat to local biota.
Conducting community based programmes such as freshwater prawn polyculture with fish.
Water sample checking and coordinating fish disease diagnosis.
Conducting awareness programs related to aquaculture.