Abstract:
Fish is the major source of cheap animal protein for the cereal
based diet of the people in Batticaloa. Fish provide high quality protein,
vitamins, minerals, lipids and carbohydrates. The major problem that
confronts Sri Lanka today is to find ways and means for improving food
production. Finding adequate protein supplies to meet the needs of the
increasing population is thus an increasing priority. In this regard it
is important to increase the protein availability by utilizing fish found
in inland water bodies in addition to the marine harvests. There is an
urgent need to do a biochemical analysis of fin fish in fresh and processed
form. Work has been carried out to assess the chemical composition of
fresh and salt dried Oreochromis mossambicus from Beira Lake [1]. Work
has also been carried out on the period of storage and composition of
tilapia flesh [2]. Nutrient composition of certain fresh water fish species
in Sri Lanka has also been carried out in 1996 [3]. However, there is no
recorded information relating to the composition of fish. Fish provide a
source of cheap animal protein substitute in feeds developed for cattle and
poultry industry in addition to aquaculture industry. If the information
on proximate composition for fish parts is available, it would enhance
the collection of fish offal at the site of accumulation to be converted
into wise utilization. This would also encourage a healthy and clean fish
market environment which will be treasured by the public.
There is much scope for developing the inland fisheries at the
Unnichai tank into a productive biological resource, apart from
supplying good quality drinking water to urban cities in the Batticaloa
district. Therefore, the present study has been carried out to evaluate the
proximate composition of skin, fin, flesh, bone etc to see whether there
is any major difference in composition in relation to length and portions
of the fish in different length groups.
