More than 35,000 kilograms of fish were harvested from the Udawalawa Reservoir over just two days — May 9 and 10 — according to the National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka (NAQDA).
The authority said the total value of the catch amounted to Rs. 10.9 million. Officials attributed the record-breaking harvest to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas of the reservoir, including Balangoda, which caused water levels in the Walawe River to rise significantly. The same weather system has opened spill gates at more than a dozen major reservoirs across the dry zone over the past 72 hours.
The catch consisted of 27,030 kilograms of Catla, 7,430 kilograms of Mrigal and 1,009 kilograms of Tilapia. A considerable portion of the stock has been transported to Negombo for dried fish production.
The large-scale harvest provided direct economic benefits to 313 fishermen in the region, while creating indirect employment opportunities for nearly 1,650 others, NAQDA said.
The authority added that the increased supply had helped provide consumers with fresh, high-quality freshwater fish at affordable prices, while also supporting the protein needs of local communities. Udawalawa is one of the country’s largest inland fishery sites, with Catla and Mrigal — both originally Indian carp species — forming the backbone of the commercial harvest.
