• B. Sc. (Special) degree in Zoology; University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (September 1978).
• M. Sc. (Fisheries Biology and Management); University of Wales, U.K. (September 1984).
• Ph. D. University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka (January 1991).
• D.Sc. Bangor University, UK (July 2010)

• Academic visitor, Centre for Limnology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Nieuwersluis, The Netherlands (January-May 2007)Commonwealth Postdoctoral Fellowship – Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London, UK (March 2000 – February 2001)

• Academic visitor, Centre for Limnology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Nieuwersluis, The Netherlands (January-May 2007)

Completed:

1. Trophic evaluation in Asian lakes and reservoirs (1998-2003)

This project was aimed at forming strategies for partitioning the productivity of Asian reservoirs and lakes between capture fisheries and aquaculture for social benefit and local market without negative environmental impact. Collaborative institutions were Royal Holloway University of London in the UK, University of Vienna in Austria and Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agromomique, Institut Nationale Polytechnique in France. This project was financed by the European Commission under the INCO-DC Programme.

2. Management of reservoir fisheries (1998-2006)

Under this project, empirical models were developed to predict fish yields in Sri Lankan reservoirs and to develop management strategies for enhance fisheries production in Sri Lankan and Australian lakes and reservoirs. Best practice approaches were also formulated for the development of aquaculture-based fisheries in village reservoirs of Sri Lanka. This research is carried out in collaboration with Deakin University, Australia. This project is financed by the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

On-going:

Promoting Pro-Poor Water Governance and Management in a Major River Basin of Sri Lanka

This action-research project applies an integrated water and land use approach to a major river basin (Kala Oya basin) in Sri Lanka.  The major components are,

• Development of empirical models for fish yield prediction in reservoirs based on hydrological data, and
• Valuation of multiple-uses of irrigation water for their optimization.

Research collaborators:

1. Dr Mohottala G. Kularatne, Department of Economics, University of Kelaniya;
2. Professor Udith K. Jayasinghe-Mudalige, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka
3. Dr. W.M.H. Kelum Wijenayake, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka
4. Professor W. Upali Chandrasekara, Department of Zoology & Environmental Management, University of Kelaniya

• De Silva, S.S., T.T.T. Nguyen, G.M. Truchini, U.S. Amarasinghe and N.W. Abery 2009. Alien species in aquaculture and biodiversity: A paradox in food production. Ambio 38(1): 24-28.

• Amarasinghe, U.S. and T.T.T. Nguyen 2009. Enhancing rural farmer income through fish production: Secondary use of water resources in Sri Lanka and elsewhere. In: S.S. De Silva and F.B. Davy (eds) Success Stories in Asian Aquaculture. pp. 103-130. Springer Science, Netherlands. ISBN 978-90-481-3085-6 (Print) ISBN 978-90-481-3087-0 (Online)

• http://library.enaca.org/emerging_issues/success_stories/success-stories-asian-aquaculture.pdf

• Amarasinghe, U.S. 2010. Inland fisheries resource enhancement and conservation in Sri Lanka. In: Inland Fisheries Resource Enhancement and Conservation in Asia (Miao Weimin, Sena De Silva and Brian Davy eds). pp. 113-132. FAO RAP Publication 2010/22, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok.

• Amarasinghe, U.S. and De Silva, S.S. (2015) Fishes and fisheries of Asian inland lacustrine waters. 384-403 pp. In: Freshwater Fisheries Ecology (ed. J.F. Craig), John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, UK. doi: 10.1002/9781118394380.ch31

• De Silva, S.S. and U.S. Amarasinghe (eds.). (2009) Status of reservoir fisheries in five Asian countries. NACA Monograph No. 2. Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand. 116p. http://library.enaca.org/inland/reservoirs08/status_reservoir_fisheries_asia.pdf

• Deepananda, K.H.M.A., U.S. Amarasinghe, U.K. Jayasinghe-Mudalige and F. Berkes (2016) Stilt fisher knowledge in southern Sri Lanka as an expert system: a strategy towards co-management. Fisheries Research 174: 288-297.

• Wijenayake, W.H.H.K., U.S. Amarasighe and S.S. De Silva (2016) Application of a multiple-criteria decision making approach for selecting non-perennial reservoirs for culture-based fishery development: Case study from Sri Lanka. Aquaculture. 459: 26-35. DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2016.03.019

• Amarasinghe, U.S., Ajith Kumara, P.A.D. and S.S De Silva (2016) A rationale for introducing a subsidiary fishery in tropical reservoirs and lakes to augment inland fish production: case study from Sri Lanka supplemented with evidence from elsewhere. Food Security 8: 769-781. DOI: 10.1007/s12571-016-0596-4

• De Silva S. S., U. S. Amarasinghe and T.T.T. Nguyen (eds), 2006. Better-practice approaches for culture-based fisheries development in Asia. ACIAR Monograph No. 120. 96 p. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia. ISBN 1 86320 457 1 (print), 1 86320 458 X (online). Downloadable from http://library.enaca.org/NACA-Publications/CBF_manual.pdf

• Schiemer F., D. Simon, U.S. Amarasinghe and J. Moreau (eds) 2008. Aquatic Ecosystem and Development: Comparative Asian Perspectives. Biology of Inland Waters, Margraf Publishers and Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands (ISBN 978-3-8236-1530-9).

1.Amarasinghe, U.S., W. Benthem and K. Jeanes (Editors), 1993. Site Report and the Conservation Management Plan for Minneriya Reservoir. Central Environmental Authority, Sri Lanka and Euroconsult, TheNetherlands.

2. De Silva S. S., U. S. Amarasinghe and T.T.T. Nguyen (eds), 2006. Better-practice approaches for culture-based fisheries development in Asia. ACIAR Monograph No. 120. 96 p. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia. ISBN 1 86320 457 1 (print), 1 86320 458 X (online). Downloadable from http://library.enaca.org/NACA-Publications/CBF_manual.pdf

3. Schiemer F., D. Simon, U.S. Amarasinghe and J. Moreau (eds) 2008. Aquatic Ecosystem and Development: Comparative Asian Perspectives. Biology of Inland Waters, Margraf Publishers and Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, TheNetherlands (ISBN 978-3-8236-1530-9).

4. Wijeyaratne, M.J.S. and U.S.Amarasinghe 2008. Participatory Approaches to Reservoir Fisheries Management: Issues, Challenges and Policies. Proceedings of the international symposium held on 03-06 October 2004 in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, organized by German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources,Colombo, Sri Lanka. 235 p. (ISBN 978-955-9044-61-1)

5. De Silva S. S., U. S. Amarasinghe and T.T.T. Nguyen (eds), 2008. Better-practice approaches for culture-based fisheries development in Asia. ACIAR Monograph No. 120a. 106 p. (Laotian translation) Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia. ISBN: 978 1 86320 558 0 (print) 978 1 86320 559 7 (online) Downloadable from http://www.aciar.gov.au/publication/MN120a

6. De Silva S. S., U. S. Amarasinghe and T.T.T. Nguyen (eds), 2008. Better-practice approaches for culture-based fisheries development in Asia. ACIAR Monograph No. 120b. 96 p. (Vietnamese translation) Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia. ISBN: 978 1 86320 558 0 (print) 978 1 86320 559 7 (online) Downloadable from http://www.aciar.gov.au/publication/MN120b

7.De Silva, S.S. and U.S. Amarasinghe (eds.). (2009) Status of reservoirfisheries in five Asian countries. NACA Monograph No. 2.Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, Bangkok,Thailand. 116p.http://library.enaca.org/inland/reservoirs08/status_reservoir_fisheries_asia.pdf

8. De Silva S. S., U. S. Amarasinghe and T.T.T. Nguyen (eds), 2009. Better-practice approaches for culture-based fisheries development in Asia. ACIAR Monograph No. 120c. 117 p. (Tamil  translation) Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia. ISBN: 978 1 921531 71 2. Downloadable from http://www.aciar.gov.au/publication/MN120c

9. De Silva S. S., U. S. Amarasinghe and T.T.T. Nguyen (eds), 2009. Better-practice approaches for culture-based fisheries development in Asia. ACIAR Monograph No. 120d. 117 p. (Sinhala Translation) Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia. ISBN: 978 1 921531 73 6 (print) 978 1 921531 74 3 (online). Downloadable from http://www.aciar.gov.au/publication/MN120d

• Vice chancellor’s award for one of the top ten scientists in the University of Kelaniya in 2017.
• Vice chancellor’s awards (six awards) for bringing honour to the university in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010.
• GRC Award – 2009 for the most outstanding scientist in biological sciences awarded by Sri Lanka Association for Advancement of Science.
• Fellow of the National Academy of Science of Sri Lanka.
• Vice chancellor’s award for the most outstanding scientist in three consecutive years from 2007 to 2009 and in 2015 and 2016 in the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
• Senate awards for scientific publications (2014,2015,2016, 2017)
• Committee of Vice Chancellors and Directors (CVCD) excellence award 2008 for the most outstanding scientist in biological sciences.
• Presidential awards (5 awards) for research for authorships in papers published in 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2014.
• Commonwealth Postdoctoral Fellowship (2000).
• Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Prize for the Young Scientist in the field of Biology for the year 1993 for my research on Fisheries Biology jointly awarded by TWAS and Natural Resources, Energy and Science Authority (NARESA).

1. Founder member of the Asian Fisheries Society.
2. Member of the Network of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries Professionals.
3. Life member of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science.
4. Founder Life member of the Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
5. Fellow and Chartered Biologist of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka
6. Founder life member of Sri Lanka Association of Animal Production.
7. Fellow of the National Academy of Science of Sri Lanka

• Member of the Editorial Board of Asian Fisheries Science, published by the Asian Fisheries Society, Malaysia.

• Editor-in-Chief of Sri Lanka Journal of Aquatic Sciences

• Member of the Editorial Board of Taprobanica: The Journal of Asian Biodiversity