Ministers review marine and coastal protection drive, target fishing harbour security gaps

Ministers and defence officials have reviewed progress on a national effort to protect Sri Lanka’s marine and coastal resources at a meeting held at the Ministry of Environment, with attention centred on security weaknesses at the island’s fishing harbours.

The progress review was co-chaired by Minister of Environment Dr. Dammika Patabendi, Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody and Deputy Minister of Defence Major General (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara.

Participants assessed measures already under way to safeguard coastal resources, curb environmental pollution and tighten security at fishing harbours and outlying islands, NewsFirst reported.

The work is being coordinated by a committee chaired by the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, drawing representatives from the Ministries of Defence, Environment, Fisheries and Tourism alongside stakeholders from government and non-governmental institutions.

Discussion at the meeting turned to identifying specific security gaps at fishing harbours and drafting practical recommendations intended to strengthen both harbour security and environmental protection.

Background

The committee traces its origins to a high-level discussion held at the Environment Ministry in May, also co-chaired by Jayakody and Jayasekara, which proposed a multi-sector working group to run a joint mechanism for protecting the country’s coastal and marine resources, with the Environment Ministry in the lead role.

That May meeting flagged the absence of proper governance and regulatory mechanisms at fishing harbours as a major vulnerability — the same weakness the committee has now returned to. It also examined illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, destructive practices such as dynamite fishing and the use of banned gear, and moves to declare new Marine Protected Areas covering several islands and surrounding waters in the Northern Province.

Officials said at the time that the proposed protected areas were not intended to restrict local livelihoods, but to encourage sustainable fishing and eco-tourism.