'. " NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR PROTECTION OF MARINE AND COASTAL ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND BASED ACTIVITIES ,,­ \ . i SUBMITTED TO SOUTH ASIAN CO-OPERATION ,ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (SACEP) BY MINISTRY OF FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENT Sri Lanka November, 1999 NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR ROTECTION OF MARINE AND COASTAL ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND BASED ACTIVITIES Contributions Principal Authors Prof. J. linadasa I Dr. Ajantha de Alwisl Co-ordinator Dr. H.M. Kodisinghe2 Members of the Experts Committee Mr. K.A.S. Gunasekera2 Mr. Thosapala Hewa~e2 Dr. B.M.S. Batagoda Mr. RA.D.B. Samaranayake3 Mr. 1. Dissanayake4 Mr. G. Gamage2 Mr. H. Dassanayake5 Financial Assistance South Asian Co-operation Environment Programme (SACEP) I. University of Sri Jayawardanapura. 2.Ministry of Forestry And Environment. 3. Dept. of Coast Conservation. 4. Central Environmental Authority. 5. National Aquatic Resources Agency O\3S~ ... " . CONTENTS Page Contents I List of Tables " IV List offigures VI CHAPTER 1 - MARINE AND COASTAL ENVIRONMENT 1 1.0 Physical features of the marine and coastal environment of Sri Lanka 1 1.1 The marine coastal zone and strength 5 1.2 Critical problems in the coastal zone 8 CHAPTER 2 - CRITICAL MARINE AND COASTAL HABITATS 12 2.0 Introduction 12 2.1 Marine and Coastal habitats, their uses and impacts ofland based . activities on them 12 2.1.1 Coral Reefs 13 2.1} Mangroves 19 2.1.3 Estuaries and Lagoons 22 2.1.4 Seagrass Beds 24 2.1. 5 Salt Marshes 26 2.1. 6 Barrier Beaches, Spits and Dunes 27 2.1.7 Nature ofthreats to coastal habitats 29 2.2 Present Management Strategies for coastal habitats 30 2.3 Participatory approaches required for a better management 31 ofthe marine and coastal resources CHAPTER 3 - CONTAMINANTS FROM POINT AND NON-POINT SOURCES CAUSING COASTAL AND MARINE POLLUTION 36 3.0 Introduction 36 3.1 Coastal and marine water regimes affected by pollution 37 3.2 Contaminants 40 3.2.1 Domestic Sewage 40 3.2.2 Industrial Pollution 43 3.2.3 Waste Oil 52 3.2.4 Solid Wastes 52 3.2.5 Agriculture Wastes 53 I 3.2.6 Aquaculture 54 3.2.7 Towism 59 3.2.8 Maritime activities 60 3.3 Present strategies of Coastal Pollution Management 61 , 3.4 Participatory approaches required for a better management ofthe coastal pollution control 63 CHAPTER 4 - PHYSICAL ALTERATIONS INCLUDING HABITAT MODIFICATION AND COASTAL EROSION 66 4.0 Introduction 66 4.1 Causes for erosion 69 4.1.1 Natural Processes and Sea Level Rise 69 4.1.2 Human Activities 71 4.1.3 Sand Mining 71 4.1.4 Coral Mining 75 4.1.5 Improper Location or Construction of Maritime Structures 76 , 4.1.6 Removal ofCoastal Vegetation 77 4. 2 Present strategies for erosion control 77 4.2.1 Solutions for Managing an Eroding Shoreline 79 4.2.1.1 Short-term Solutions 79 4.2.1.2 Long-term Solutions 80 4.3 Participatory approaches required for better management 82 ofthe coastal erosion control CHAPTER S - BIODIVERSITY OF THE MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS 86 5.0 Introduction 86 5 .INIarine and Coastal bio-regions and biodiversity 87 5.2 Threats to marine and coastal biodiversity 91 5.3 Present strategies for the management ofbiodiversity 93 5.4 Participatory approaches required for a better management ofthe marine and coastal biodiversity 99 CHAPTER 6 -lVlARINE AND COASTAL AREAS OF SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE 104 6.0 Introduction 104 IT ----- -------- '-, .. " 6.1 Identification of Sites 104 -- 6.1.1 Sites of Archaeological Significance 105 6.1.2 Historical Sites and Monuments 106 6.1.3 Sites ofReligious Significance 110 6.1.4 Sites and Monuments of Cultural Significance 110 6.1.5 Scemc, Recreation and Protected Areas 111 6.2 Present strategies of protection of sites ofspecial significance 115 6.3 Participatory approaches required for a better management 116 of sites of special significance CHAPTER 7 - PLAN SUMMARY AND PRIORITIES OF ACTION 119 Annex 126 References 127 m Table 1.1 Some Important Maritime FeatW'es of Sri Lanka 2 Table 1.2 Extent of :M.arlne and Coastal Habitats, by District 5 Table 2.1 Extents of some coral reefs of Sri Lanka 15 Table 2.2 Typical uses of coral reefs 15 Table 2.3 Reef Location, Status, and Cause of Damage or Threats 17 Table 2.4 Typical uses ofmangroves 20 Table 2.5 Changes in areas of Wetland habitats, Puttalam Lagoons 1981-1992 20 Table 2,6 Typical uses of estuaries and lagoons 23 Table 2.7 Typical uses ofseagrasses 25 Table 2.8 Typical uses of salt marshes 26 Table 2.9 Typical uses ofbanier beaches and dunes 28 Table 2.10 Summary of potential impacts ofn coastal habitats 30 Table 3.J Major sources of coastal pollution in Sri Lanka 40 Table 3,2 Estimated water loads from the industrial areas in Colombo city 47 Table 3.3 Tolerance limits for industrial and domestic effluents discharged into marine coastal areas 47 Table 3.4 Nwnber of industrial facilities in coastal areas with high or mediwn pollution potential and their waste loads 48 Table 3.5 Longitudinal and cross sectional distribution ofchromium (Mean±SD in mg rl) in the kelani Estuary water in January 1992 49 Table 3.6 Mean trace metal concentration (103 J..tg g"l) in the surface water and sediment from Negombo Estuary 50 Table 3.7 Mean trace metal concentration ( J..tg got) in the fish! shrimp/crab samples from Negombo estuary 51 Table 3.8 Composition of solid waste collected in the Greater Colombo area 52 Table 3.9 Pesticides and other agrochemica1 use in Sri Lanka (metric tons) during 1992- 1995 54 IV Table 3.10 Proposed quality standards for different use classes ofcoastal water in Sri Lanka 56 Table 3.11 Accepted ranges of optimal water quality for slnimp culture and levels in Dutch canal during disease out breaks 57 Table 3.12 Main chemicals and antibiotics reported as in use in shrimp Culture operations in Sri Lanka 58 Table 3.13 Quantity ofchemicals and other material used in the existing system 58 Table 3.14 Non-product output of the culturing system 59 Table 3.15 Agencies responsible for ~oastal pollution control in Sri Lanka 62 Table 4.1 Coastal erosion and accretion rates in Sri Lanka 69 Table 4.2 Activities contributing to coastal erosion in Sri Lanka 72 Table 4.3 Location and estimated volwne ofsand mining , (Puttalam to Dondra Head) 74 Table 4. 4 Coral collected from Sri Lanka's southwestern coastal sector, 1984 and 1994 76 Table 4. 5 Length of existing effective shoreline protection works 79 Table 5.1 Basic information of the marine and coastal bio-regions 89 Table 6.1 High priority archaeologica~ historical, religious and cultural sites within the coastal zone 107 Table 6.2 High priority recreationa~ scenic and protected sites within the coastal zone 112 TabJe 6.3 Graded hotel accommodations in 1996 115 Table 7.1 Plan summary and required action on priority basis 119 v LIST OF FIGURES Page- Fig. I. 1 Territory of Sri Lanka (including maritime zone) 3 Fig.I.2 Surface currents around Sri Lanka 4 Fig.2.1 Distribution of coral reefs in marine and coastal waters of Sri Lanka 14 Fig.2.2 Condition ofthe coral reefs of Sri Lanka 18 Fig.2.3 Distribution ofMangrove vegetation in Sri Lanka 21 Fig.2.4 Location of well known basin estuaries and lagoons in Sri Lanka 22 Fig. 3.1 Locations of the ocean outfalls of the Colombo system 42 Fig.3.2 Percent Of Colombo Population served by different sewage disposal methods 43 Fig. 3.3 Location of Export Processing Zones 44 Fig. 3.4 Major trade discharges in the Kelani river catchment area 49 Fig. 3.5 Potential areas for aquaculture development 55 Fig. 3.6 Tar concentrations on the beaches ofthe southwestern coast of Sri Lanka [expressed as percentage ofhighest reported world value (Oman) 100%+ 2.325 g/meter ofshoreline] 61 . Fig. 4.1 Erosion rates on southwest coast in 1995 68 Fig. 5.1 Bio-regions of Sri Lanka 90 VI CHAPTER! MARINE AND COASTAL ENVIRONMENT 1.0 Physical features ofthe marine and coastal environment of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka is an island wit11 a total1and area of 65,525 krnz which is located on a relatively narrow continental shelf. The total area of the continental shelf is 44,250 krnz with a width ranging from 8krn (along ilie southeastern and eastern COdstS) to 45krn (in the northeastern and northwestern coasts), 20 krn. in most parts, and a depth ranging from 0 to 200 m. Some important maritime data of the country is given in Table 1.1. The island is surrounded by about 1770krn long coastline which comprises of highly productive marine ecosystems such as fringing coral reefs and shallow beds of coastal and estuarine seagrasses . Mangrove forests (868711a), salt marshes (23,819ha), beaches (11,800ha), sand dunes (7606ha) lagoons and estuaries (158,01711a), coastal marshy wetlands (9754ha) and oilier water bodies (18,839ha) are the other important ecosystems found along the coast line (Table 1.2). The country claimed a 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in 1976, adding to its territorial waters a total of 233,000krnz. Its maritime boundaries are shown in Fig. 1.1 The climate of Sri Lanka is influenced by two monsoon and two inter-monsoon periods. The souiliwest monsoon, which occurs from May to September is associated with cyclonic wind circulations or depressions and is marked by heavy rainfall and squally weailier, especially in the southwestern seaboard.