Freshwater fisheries has contributed for the total fish production by 13.7% in 2016 in which natural fish accounts for 11% , freshwater aquaculture for 1.7% and freshwater shrimp for 0.9%.
Although a higher fish production was expected in this year, due to the arid weather continued throughout the year many reservoirs dried up which are mostly located in the dry zone. Majority of the reservoirs are rain fed and the lack of rainfall throughout 11 months has reduced fish breeding in reservoirs.
Apprehension and destruction of illegal fishing nets by NAQDA and the time consuming process of familiarizing fishers to use alternative nets and fishers abandoning fishing and entering to alternative livelihoods have also resulted in reduction of fish production.