Solar – powered LED Technology to Brighten Lives of Fisher Families – Sri Lanka

Economically viable, environmentally friendly solar – Powered Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps to replace the kerosene lamps for Night fishing in Maduganga Lake Sri Lanka.

Traditional Prawn Catching – Sri Lanka
Traditional prawn catching system in Maduganga Lake in Sri Lanka is using traps known as “Ja-Kotu” in local language.

These traps are made of interwoven bamboo panels which consist two units of three inter connected catching chambers fitted with non-return devices.

Fisherman light seven kerosene lamps in each Ja-Kotu, six in each catching chamber and one lamp at the out side stand.  The seven kerosene lamps used for one device have fuel consumption per night in the range of 3.0 to 3.5 liters. In most of the Brackish water bodies in Sri Lanka such as Bolgoda Lake, Kalpitiya Lagoon this traditional system is used for prawn catching.

Disadvantages of the kerosene lamp system

• During Windy and rainy weather flames of lamps are blown out.
• Kerosene frequently spills into the water causing water pollution and affecting the breeding ground of fish and prawn.
• Traps were sometimes burnt down due to kerosene spilling severally affecting poorer fishermen.
• The burning of kerosene is one of the largest sources of emissions of Carbon Dioxide and green house gas contributes to Global warming.
• High oil prices badly affect development initiatives of the country and also hampered global economic growth.
• Burning of kerosene negatively affects the health of the fishermen.

Objectives
Testing and developing solar – powered LED lighting system to replace the use of kerosene lamps for night fishing in Coastal Lakes of Sri Lanka.

Capacity-Building in the field of solar powered lighting technologies with a special focus on LED lamps.

Increase and stabilize the income of fisher-folks and reduce environmental harm by replacing kerosene lamps with environmentally friendly alternatives.

The Experiment

A feasibility study was carried out for three and half months in Maduganga selecting three prawn catching devices located close to each other.  In two prawn traps kerosene lamps have been replaced by LED lamps, the third system was used as a control chamber with the normal kerosene lamps.  Three fishermen who was trained and educated to implement the experiment monitor the daily activities, under the instruction of a senior experience expert appointed by the Nagenahiru.

As an indicator to evaluate the feasibility of LED lamps for prawn catching the weight of the daily catch of prawn was chosen. Two different trapping chambers have been chosen to eliminate systematic errors.  The results are compared with the catch in a control chamber where the traditional kerosene lights were used.

The LED lamps have been assembled by a local technician employed by Nagenahiru.
During the experiment special attention was paid to find out best possible alternative LED lamp with equal colour and light intensity as the traditional kerosene lamps using at trapping chambers to assure the control of over fishing.

Eliminate the burning of 60, 000 L of Kerosene per year

• The Experimental project implemented by the Nagenahiru Foundation, a southern – based nongovernmental organization that committed to bringing safer environment to Sri Lanka under the guidance of Global Nature Fund – Germany.
• After the initial cost, solar energy continues to provide light to night prawn catching free of charge.
• Replacing kerosene lamps with clean solar – powered LED lamps also provides healthier and safer living conditions for less money.
• According to a community survey conducted by Nagenahiru in fisher village of Galmanduwa in Maduganga.
• Kerosene is expensive for people living in poverty, for example, buying kerosene requires nearly 22 percent of a typical household budget.
• To lighting up 7 Lamps in a Ja-Kotu requires 3.5L of Kerosene per night, Fishermen spending Rs. 175/- per night.
• Presently 53 Number Ja-Kotu are maintained by the Fishermen in Maduganga.
• Every night the Fishermen in Maduganga Burns 185.5L of Kerosene valued Rs. 32,462/- to light up their 53 Ja-Kotu.
• Thus this project will eliminate the burning of more than 60,000 L of kerosene for night fishing at Maduganga saving Rs. 3,000,000/- equivalent US$ 30,000/- per year.

Lamps Brighten Lives of Poor Fishermen Worldwide