Socio Economic Survey on Waste Disposal Methods of Artisanal Maldive Fish Processing in Southern, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Maldive fish processing activities generate potentially large quantities of organic wastes andby-products from inedible fish parts, mainly from head and gastrointestinal sections.Therefore the present study was carried out in Kudawella, Kottegoda, Devundara and Mirissain Sri Lanka with the primary purpose of investigating the waste disposal methods practicedby artisanal Maldive fish processors. Secondly, it investigated the potential of introducingbetter alternative methods for disposal of fish wastes in an eco-friendly manner. Aquestionnaire survey was conducted using a convenience sample of 32 artisanal Maldive fishprocessors. Data were analysed by employing SPSS 13.0 using descriptive statistics and somenon-parametric statistic tools such as Friedman test and Wilcoxon singed rank test.

According to the findings, proportion of weight of raw material to weight of waste productswas 5: 1. Over half of the Maldive fish processors (53.1%) dispose their waste productsdirectly to the sea as it was very convenient (z = - 4.412, p = 0.05). Also they found that fishpopulation become high in these waste discharging points in the sea as fishes attract to eat thedischarging fish parts (z = - 4.464, p = 0.05). Surprisingly, they do not see any harm to theenvironment (z = - 4.049, p = 0.05) due to this direct discharge.

Almost all Maldive fish processors (90.6%) agreed to follow another better practice for wastedisposal if introduced. There was a statistically significant difference in most preferablemethods for waste disposal such as ‘Bio-gas production’, ‘Fish meal production’,‘Composting’ and ‘Direct disposal’ (χ2 = 24.563, df= 3, p = 0.000). Majority of respondents(90.6%) agreed to supply their fish waste products for fish meal or another by-productproduction. About 62.5% preferred to utilise bio-gas energy for Maldive fish processingactivities.

Artisanal Maldive fish processors do not have sufficient knowledge and technology topractice these alternative methods for waste disposal. Therefore, fisheries extension programsshould be conducted for Maldive fish processors to provide training on these environmentalfriendly practices. Further, processors should be educated about the economic importance ofby-product value addition.