The government has initiated steps to declare Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around the Northern Province’s islands and adjacent marine zones, with a joint working group spanning five ministries to be established under the Ministry of Environment.
A high-level discussion held at the Ministry of Environment on Monday was jointly chaired by Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody and Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara. It was attended by senior naval officers, Environment Ministry Secretary K.R. Uduwawala, Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) Chairman Samantha Gunasekara, Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Department Director General Prof. Turny Pradeep Kumara, the Conservator General of Forests and senior ecologists from the IUCN.
Officials placed primary attention on the ecological damage caused by illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the northern seas, and on destructive practices including dynamite fishing, unauthorised spearfishing and the use of banned gear. The Ministers said comprehensive surveillance and stricter enforcement were needed to protect coral reef systems and endangered fish species, alongside a closer look at governance gaps in northern fishing harbours.
Suitable islands and surrounding marine zones in the Northern Province have already been identified for declaration as MPAs, the ministry said. Officials clarified that the designations would not restrict local fishing livelihoods, but would be paired with eco-tourism development to create new economic opportunities for the region.
A joint mechanism is to be set up bringing together the Ministries of Tourism, Fisheries, Defence, Environment and Justice, with the Environment Ministry taking the lead. Officials framed the initiative as aligning Sri Lanka with global biodiversity commitments and strengthening its strategic profile as a custodian of Indian Ocean marine resources.
The move comes weeks after Parliament received a package of National Environmental Act amendments introducing load-based pollution fines and mandatory strategic environmental assessments, and as the Navy continues a Q1 illegal-fishing crackdown in northern waters.
Source: The Island.
