As today’s youth are tomorrow’s conservation leaders, the SLAFAR has focus on educating youth in Nuwara Eliya, a hot spot of endemic fish species. A serious of three workshops was conducted by, two SLAFAR members Dr. I. Parakrama and Ms. P.P.M. Heenatigala, who attached to the Aquaculture Division at National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) as research officers. More than 1500 students from Good Shepherd Convent, Nuwara Eliya; Gamini National School, Nuwara Eliya and Delta Gemunupura maha Vidyalaya, Kotmale shared their real life experience with presenters on fresh water fish species.
Presentations and activities helped students to learn on identification of endemic fishes; their importance and conservation; causes of water pollution and simple good practices to prevent water pollution. Inspired students proposed ambitious new school projects related to endemic fish conservation and water pollution prevention, to be conducted through their school societies in future.
18th to 20th March 2014 – Nuwara Eliya