1 A COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGES TO FISHERIES LIVELIHOOD IN VILLAGES AFFECTED BY THE 2004 INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI

On 26th December 2004, colossal waves known as tsunami engulfed the coastal nations around the Indian Ocean. The disaster brought physical, psychological and emotional suffering beyond measure to many communities. It resulted in immense devastation of many coastal vegetations and marine ecosystems. The fisheries in the coastal villages in Sri Lanka, in particular, were subject to severe damage caused by the tsunami. The impacts of the tsunami on the fishery sector magnified the significance of the resource as important sources of food and livelihood. A comparative assessment of the social and economic dimensions of damages to fisheries following the tsunami was conducted in the villages of Kapuhenwala and Wanduruppa. Functioning and degraded coastal vegetation and marine ecosystems characterize the two villages, respectively. Results indicate that damages to fisheries livelihood in Kapuhenwala, area with intact fishery ecosystems, was approximately SLR 8,676,092 (US $ 86,761) per fishing household; whereas, Wanduruppa, site with degraded coastal and marine ecosystem generated a loss to fishing livelihood of about SLR 19,952,467 (US $ 199,525) per household. The economic assessment also demonstrated that a village with intact coastal and marine resource base such as Kapuhenwala can induce an economic benefit of approximately SLR 12,718,448 (US $ 127,184) per fishing household. The economic estimates suggest that areas with degraded coastal vegetation and marine ecosystem generate lower fishing benefits as shown by SLR 1,256,474 (US $ 12,565) annual economic value of fisheries per household in Wanduruppa. The findings provide a sound basis for the inclusion of fishery rehabilitation efforts in the post-tsunami rebuilding programs