About CENARA | Activities

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is assisting the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to implement a project funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to enhance the capacity of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) for undertaking marine resource surveys and stock assessment in respect of selected fish resources i.e. Chank, sea cucumber, lobster, Marine ornamental fish and shrimp in the coastal waters of Sri Lanka. This project is complemented by the component of the IFAD funded Post Tsunami Rehabilitation and Management Programme on support to conduct resource surveys and stock assessments and the promotion of participatory fisherires management for selected fisheries /resources in the Tsunami affected districts. Therefore the above two projects are implemented as a joint programme. This programme assists the effort of the government to build and maintain a coastal fisheries resource information base for development planning purposes and ensure sustainable use of resources.

Objectives

::- Enhancement of NARA's skills for conducting resource surveys and stock assessments.

::- Upgrading NARA's logistics, capacities and facilities in the conduct of resources surveys and fish stock assessments activities.

::- Strengthen and maintain the knowledge base on coastal fish resources.

::- Introduction of participatory management of coastal fisheries resources.

::- Facilitate the implementation of management plans and monitoring.