Regional Workshop on Underutilized Fish and Marine Genetic Resources (FMGR) and their Amelioration, Country Status Report: Sri Lanka by Dr Varuni Gunathilake, Presented during the Regional Workshop on Underutilized Fish and Marine Genetic Resources and their Amelioration, 10-12 July 2019, Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka

1. Underutilized Fish and Marine Genetic
Resources (FMGR) of Sri Lanka
and their Amelioration
The country status report
Dr Varuni Gunathilake
Regional Workshop on Underutilized Fish and Marine Genetic and their Amelioration,10-12th July 2019 at NARA, Sri Lanka

2. The oceans are probably the Earth’s most
valuable natural resource providing food.
Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by
humans.
Fish
Molluscs: bivalves (mussel, oyster, and scallop)
Univalves (abalone, snail, and conch),
Cephalopods (squid, cuttlefish, and octopus)
Crustaceans (crayfish, crab, shrimp, and lobster),
Echinoderms
Seaweeds and microalgae.

3. Marine
bioprospecting
 Searching for bio molecules from marine
sources and the search for new and unique
bioactive components with potential
commercial applications.
Untapped reservoir of biologically active
compounds, leads to the development of novel
compounds
 Identification
 Screening
 Safety testing
 Large scale
commercial
production

4. Every year, hundreds of new compounds are discovered from the
metabolites of marine genetic resources.
Source: Molécules 2017, 22, 1037;
doi:10.3390/molecules22071037

5. Introduction
• Geology: Situated between 5°55’ and
9°51’ N latitude, and 79°41’ and 81°53’ E
longitude.
• Area: 65,000 km2
• Coastline: 1, 585 km of which 300 km are
beaches and sand dunes
• The Territorial sea : 12 nautical miles
• Contiguous zone: 24 nautical miles
• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) : 200
nautical miles from the baseline Source: National Aquatic Resources and Research
Agency and Sri Lankan Survey Department)

6. Biodiversity
• The country is globally recognized for the
outstanding biological diversity.
• Together with the Western Ghats of India,
Sri Lanka is recognized as one of the
Biological Hotpots in the world.

7. The marine ecosystems of Sri Lanka
Represent by
• Coral reefs-off shore and near shore
• Fringing, sandstone, rock and boulder and well-developed off-shore
reefs are found along 2-3 % of the island’s coastline, creating a rich
diversity with about 183 species from 68 genera
• Around 1000 species of fish
Acropora sp
Montipora sp

8. Photo credit: Mr Sajith Subhashana

9. Photo credit: Sri Lanka Navy

10. Photo credit: Mr Sajith Subhashana

11. Soft corals
Photo credit: Footage frame fool

12. Sea-grass beds
• Found in calm shallow seas, estuaries and lagoons around the
island;
• 12 species of angiospermous halophytes (Gunatilleke et al,2008).
• Sea turtles
• Dugong
• Fish
• Shrimp larvae

13. Coastal waters also contain
• Predatory fish such as reef sharks
• Food fish and shell-fish,
• Lobsters,
• Marine mammals
• Cetaceans including the sperm whale, the blue whale and over
20 species of dolphins

14. Salt Marshes
• salt marshes of Sri Lanka are dominated by the halophytic or salt-
loving plants Halosarcia indicum, Salicornia brachiata, Sueda
maritima, and S. monoica, which are confined to this ecosystem.
• They provide habitats for 17 species of salt-marsh associates including
waterfowl and milkfish.

15. Mangroves
• Mangroves provide nursery
grounds for finfish,
shellfish, clams, crabs,
oysters and shrimps
• Breeding and nesting sites
of some birds.
• Restricted to estuaries
along the coast of Sri
Lanka

16. Sri Lankan Fishery
Sri Lankas Annual fish production, source data: NAQDA, Sri Lanka
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Off shore Coastal Inland and Aquaculture
Linear (Off shore ) Linear (Coastal)

17. Household Fish Consumptions - Sri Lanka
(grams for one month)
Source: Income and expenditure survey 1995 and 2002 - Department of Census and
Statistics
939.07
1525.78
201.92
24.14
1307.78
1118.24
475.74
44
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
Marine large
fish
Marine Small
Fish
fresh water
fish
Aquaculture
fish
1995
2002

18. Fish Exports
Annual earning from fish exports in 2017;
Source Data: Fisheries Department statistics
24690
3213
782
3336
1382
36
2648
214
147
2288
494
RS/MILLION
Mainly to EU countries,
USA and Japan

19. Imports
Sri Lanka imports
• Maldive fish
• Dried fish
• Canned fish
• Red algae
• Agar agar
• Fish oil

20. Genetic resource: DNA or RNA of actual or
potential value
Most of the Sri Lankan MGR are still
remained underutilized and the country need
to pay attention to develop them in to
marketable products

21. Extraction
of
Minerals-
Na,K,I,
Fe, Cu,
Zn, Mn
Essential for
maintaining
physiology and
well being
Extraction
of
Vitamins-
A,B1,B2,B6
,B12,C, D
and E
Underutilized
FGR
Bioactive peptides
Anti oxidents,
anti thrombotic,
immunomodulatory
Extraction
of collagen
from fish
skin
Omega 3-
FA
Essential
Amino
acids-
His,Phe,
Val,Thr,
Leu,Met
Essential
proteins-
hormones,
transporter
proteins,
antibodies

22. Bioactive peptides
• Amino acids- Ulva
sp
• Protein pigment
complexes –
Phycobiliproteins.
Sea weeds
Phycobiliproteins
-
Flurocent
molecules
Cosmetics
Food industry-
(food colouring in
dairy products,
chewing gums,
jelly)
Essential Amino
acids
Minerals
Vitamins
PUFA-Omega 3 and
6
Polysaccarides
Carrageenan,
Laminarin
Alginate
Functional
oligosaccharide
s-(-low
sweetners)
Agar
• food,
• Pharmaceutical
• cosmetics,
• textile,
• stabilizing,
• emulsifier,
• gelling agent

23. Microalgae • Sugar
• Glucose
• Beta-1-3-Glucal
• 60-70% of proteins
• Hydrophilic proteins

24. Bioactive secondary
metabolites;
• Anti cancer/cytotoxic
• Anti viral
• Anti inflammatory
• Immunomodulatory
• Anti oxidative
• Anti diabetic
• Anti malarial …
Marine
invertebrates/
low
vertebrates;
Sponges
Sea
cucumbers
Soft corals
Sea anemone
Jelly fish-for
isolation of GFP
Gorgornians
Marine derived drugs:
56% marine anti cancer drugs are available
in the market

25. Molecules 2017, 22, 1037; doi:10.3390/molecules22071037

26. Secondary metabolites having
antitumor, antivirus, enzyme inhibitor,
and other bioactive properties
identified and isolated from marine
microorganisms including
• Bacteria
• Actinomycetes
• Fungi
• cyanobacteria, which could serve as
potentials for drug discovery after
their clinical trials.
Antibacterial activities of endophytic fungi isolated
from six Sri Lankan plants of the family Cyperaceae
Pamoda B. Ratnaweera1, R. Chandula Walgama2,
Kinkini U. Jayasundera2, Suseema D. Herath1, S.
Abira1, David E. Williams3, Raymond J.
Andersen3 and E. Dilip de Silva2
1Department of Science and Technology, Uva Wellassa
University, Badulla, Sri Lanka; 2Department of
Chemistry, University of Colombo, Colombo 03, Sri
Lanka;

27. Marine microbes can be used to
synthesize;
Proteases
• Detergent industry,
• Leather industry,
• Pharmaceutical applications, such as digestive drugs
and anti-inflammatory drugs
Lipases
•Detergents,
•Paper production,
•Cosmetic production

28. Successful stories related to utilization of MGR
Marine invertebrates for bioprospecting
Vidyodaya J. of Sci., (1994) Vol. 5. No.1, pp. 41 - 48
HUMAN SPERM IMMOBILIZATION ACTIVITY OF CRUDE
EXTRACT OF SPONGlONELLA SP. (A MARINE
SPONGE). Ratnassoriya et al

29. Evaluation of cancer chemopreventive properties of Haliclona
(Soestella)sp (Human laryngeal carcinoma cell line ,Hep-2)
IC50 of HSCE -19.7 µg/mL
IC50 of chloroform fraction -29.7µg/mL
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90100
Percentageinhibition
Concentration (g/mL)
HSCE
Chlorofrom
C
o
n
tro
l
5
m
g
/k
g
1
0
m
g
/k
g
2
5
m
g
/k
g
0
1 0 0
2 0 0
3 0 0
T r e a tm e n t g r o u p
Concentration(pg/mL)
TNF 
IF N 
Anti inflammatory activity of HSCE-
Significant suppression of TNF-
and IFN - at 10mg/kg dose & IFN -
25mg/kg, P<0.05 MWU test

31. Marine algae
• Extraction of agar from locally grown Gracilaria verrucosa and
development of gelatine free set-yoghurt product using agar,
Paththuwe Arachchi et al,2016
• Seaweed extract as a natural food coloring agent in Jelly
desserts on chemical, microbial and sensory quality
,Jayasinghe et al,2016

32. Natural Products from Sri Lankan Marine Algae and their Future
Prospects.Samarakoon et al,2014.
Investigation of modified method to increase degree of deacetylation of
chitin polymer extracted from shrimp shell waste. Thiruchenduran et
Gel Properties of Crude Agar from Underutilized Agarophytes Gracilaria
salicornia and Gracilaria edulis in Sri Lanka-Wijesekara et al
Biochemical Analysis of Underutilized Seaweed Ulva lactuca from Matara,
Sri Lanka and Its Application in the Development of a Nutribar
Biochemical Analysis of Underutilized Seaweed Ulva lactuca from Matara,
Sri Lanka and Its Application in the Development of a Nutribar,Udayangani
et al.

34. Marine bioprospecting contd’

35. Germplasm collection, characterization,
evaluation, conservation and documentation
of FMGR
P.C :Mr Ajantha Mudalige, NAQDA

36. Major focus areas for underutilized FMGR
Food
Use of underutilized fish (demersal fish), low value invertebrates
to produce value added products
Ex- Soup powder from Sea cucumber extract
Energy
Cultivation of marine microalgae to produce biofuel
Health
Screening of untapped resource of marine invertebrates, microbes and
vertebrates to isolate bioactive compounds with therapeutic value
Environment
Development of cost-effective and non-toxic antifouling
technologies

37. Industrial Products and Processes
Marine-derived enzymes, bioplastics, (from marine bacteria and
fungi), biopolymers (from marine invertebrates such as crustaceans,
marine algae and microbes), marine collagen (from fish waste) and
biomaterials (from marine invertebrates)
Agar and carrageenan like products from marine macro algae
Genomics and meta-genomics, molecular biology
Use of molecular biology for identification, gene analysis, protein
analysis
Mari culture of important species
Bioengineering of species to improve quality
Identify new marine animal models for research

38. Challenges and opportunities
• Proper identification and characterization of MGRs and
documentation
• Use of novel biotechnologies such as gene editing and maintaining
genomic libraries of threatened/vulnerable species
• Use of MGR for industrial enzymes, pharmaceuticals, functional
foods, cosmetics and agricultural products.
• Use of MGR for isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds
with therapeutic value

39. Infrastructure, capacity building and financial
investment
• Training of new generation scientist with latest technological
knowledge
• Building a link between Sri Lankan research institutes and industry
• Promote bioprospecting research with potential use to enhance
economy of the country

40. Conclusion
Being a biological hot spot, Sri Lanka is a rich source of marine
genetics resources.
However, compared to the other countries of the region, marine
bioprospecting is still remained at its infancy, resulting a large
resource of MGR underutilized.
Development of marine biotechnology through bioprospecting
can be developed through proper strategic plans, infra structure
and capacity building, enhancing scientific knowledge by
international collaborations, development of marine based
products to improve heath, food security and economy of people.

41. Acknowledgment
• Senior Prof Ajantha De Alwis, Department of Zoology, USJP.
• Dr Chamari Dissanayake, Senior Lecturer, Department of
Zoology, USJP
• Dr Isuru Wijesekara, Senior Lecturer,Department of Food
Science and Technology, USJP
• Dr Sirimal Premakumara, Former Director, ITI, Sri Lanka
• Mr Ajantha Mudalige, Genetic Unit, NAQDA
• Senior Prof Preethi Udagama, UOC
• All the authors of the research papers

42. Thank you!