Aquaculture Development Centre at Nuwara Eliya was first established under the former Inland Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Fisheries in 1975. It is located 180 km away from Colombo in the heart of the hill country in Sri Lanka. Initially, it functioned as a breeding centre for Common Carps, to supply fish seed for aquaculture programs in estate tanks in surrounding plantation areas. The Centre, which was leased out to the Tourist Board since 1993 after the closure of the Inland Fisheries Division, was re-acquired and rehabilitated under the National Aquaculture Development Authority in 1999. Since then, it has fulfilled the same function of breeding Common Carps for aquaculture programs especially in Up-country areas.

Among other features, the Centre has the gravitational supply of water from a surrounding hill area, which is found extremely low in toxic and organic material content compared to other highly polluted water sources in the area. In addition, environmental conditions at the Centre are optimal for breeding and rearing cold water tropical ornamental fish.

The following major facilities for breeding and rearing of fish are presently available at the Center.