The Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in partnership with regional fisheries cooperatives launched a commercial floating cage aquaculture initiative in Kokkilai Lagoon, Mullaitivu, today, October 1, 2026. The project introduces modern, climate-resilient fish farming techniques to insulate artisanal fishing communities from environmental disruptions.

Kokkilai Lagoon, a sprawling brackish water estuary spanning the border between Mullaitivu and Trincomalee, has experienced heightened salinity levels and reduced seasonal freshwater inflows during recent dry months, which has impacted wild fish breeding cycles. In response, fisheries authorities deployed 40 modular floating fish cages constructed from heavy-duty high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes and anti-predator netting, anchored in deeper lagoon channels that maintain stable water circulation and temperature.

The cages were stocked with over 50,000 disease-certified fingerlings of Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer, locally known as Modha) and juvenile black tiger prawns bred at state marine aquaculture centers. Participating fishing families were organized into small cooperative clusters and trained in formulated feed rationing, dissolved oxygen monitoring, and cage net hygiene. Marine biologists explained that floating cages allow fishers to rear high-value finfish to commercial market weight within six months, independent of wild lagoon catch fluctuations.

Assistant Director of Fisheries K. Sivapalan stated that each cage unit is projected to yield over 600 kilograms of premium seabass per harvest cycle, generating substantial supplementary revenue for coastal households. The project also incorporates a lagoon conservation compact where participating fishers pledge to cease using destructive undersized monofilament nets in surrounding open waters, fostering the natural recovery of wild lagoon biodiversity.