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Abstract. The present study indicates that for the first time in Sri Lanka Indian major carps, viz, Catla (Catla catla), Rohu (Labeo rohita) and Mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) breed and spawn naturally in Udawalawe reservoir, a man-made perennial reservoir in Sri Lanka with the advent of the North-east monsoon rainy season. Shallow inundated banks of the Walawe River which brings water to the reservoir and those of the northernmost areas of the reservoir act as spawning grounds for the species. Udawalawe reservoir will be the unique manmade heritage of the country, by being the only natural breeding and spawning ground for Indian major carps in Sri Lanka.
Key Words: Catla, Rohu, Mrigal, spawn, perennial reservoir.
Introduction. Aquaculture is the world's largest growing food industry in recent years with an annual growth of 10% compared to 2-3% of other major food sectors. "Aquaculture production has been increasing at an average rate of 3.9% within developed countries while at an average of 8.2% in developing countries" (Osman et al 2012). Sri Lanka is blessed with vast inland freshwater and brackish water resources, amounting to 261,941 ha and 150,000 ha, respectively. Tapping of these vast inland aquatic resources has become imperative to augment the country's food production. In the early 1960s and 1970s, a freshwater fish capture fishery was in operation at the subsistence level with the introduction of Tilapia mossambica (Peters, 1852) in the early 1950s into perennial man-made reservoirs in Sri Lanka. Albeit, Sri Lanka did not have a practical tradition for aquaculture and there was virtually no aquaculture carried out until the beginning of 1980. After the mid 1980s, inland fish production was further increased by gearing up the culture based fisheries. This was as a result of the first policy decision taken by the government of Sri Lanka and its concerted efforts in the mid 1970s, to increase freshwater fish production from inland water resources. Significant measure taken by the government to increase freshwater fish production in the mid to late 1970s was stock enhancement of inland water bodies by stocking fingerlings of Chinese and Indian carps produced through induced spawning, using brood stock of Chinese and Indian major carps imported from the People's Republic of China and India, respectively (Weerakoon 2013). As a...