Sharks and rays (elasmobranchs) are a unique group of fishes with skeletons made of cartilage. And the removal of even one species, and particularly keystone species like sharks, can have devastating impacts on the ecosystem and associated habitats. Sri Lanka, being an island nation relies heavily upon fisheries – and sharks and rays – as affordable sources of protein and as a means of employment. BRT data have shown that nearly half of the Sri Lankan shark and ray species diversity is present around the Jaffna peninsula. Subsequently, BRT have initiated a project, with support from the Tokyo Cement Group, focusing on identifying the critical habitats of sharks and rays in northern Sri Lanka and to improve understanding of this fishery and associated fisher communities.

Source: The Nation May 04, 2021 11:02 UTC