Final Report
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Biodiversity and Socio-economic Information of Selected Areas of Sri Lankan Side of the Gulf of Mannar Report submitted by IUCN Sri Lanka Country Office to BOBLME Project Component 2.4 Collaborative Critical Habitat Management: Gulf of Mannar Final Report January 2011 LOA/RAP/2010/73 International Union for Conservation of Nature, Sri Lanka Country Programme Published by : FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Sri Lanka Country Office Copyright : © 2011 FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source if sully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Citation : IUCN (2011). Biodiversity and Socio-economic Information of selected areas of Sri Lankan side of the Gulf of Mannar: Report submitted by IUCN Sri Lanka Country Office to BOBLME Project Component 2.4 Collaborative Critical Habitat Management: Gulf of Mannar. IUCN Sri Lanka country Office, Colombo. VII + 194 pp. Cover photograph : Boat landing site in Periyakadai, Mannar Shamen Vidanage © IUCNSL Produced by : IUCN Sri Lanka Office Designed by : Padmi Meegoda CONTENTS Acronyms ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ii Executive Summary------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv Chapter 1 - Introduction-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Chapter 2 - Methodology ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 2.1 Socio-economic Survey --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 2.1.1 Data and information gathering ------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 2.2 Coastal and Inland Biodiversity Surveys ----------------------------------------------------------------- 5 2.2.1 Flora sampling --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 2.2.2 Fauna sampling -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 2.3 Archaeological and Related Aspects ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 2.4 Preparation of GIS Maps ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 2.5 Dissemination of Findings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 Chapter 3 - Study Findings---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 3.1 The Physical Setting ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 3.2 People and their Livelihoods--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 3.3 Land Use---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 3.4 Infrastructure, Services and Civil Administration ------------------------------------------------------- 16 3.5 Biodiversity ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18 3.6 Agriculture -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28 3.7 Fisheries ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 37 3.8 Archaeological and Cultural Significance of the Gulf of Mannar ----------------------------------- 47 3.9 Some Development and Environmental Issues -------------------------------------------------------- 52 Chapter 4 - Dissemination----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 60 4.1 Training Module for Teachers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 60 4.2 Outreach Materials --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 60 4.3 Awareness Programmes-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 61 4.4 Spatial Maps ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 61 Chapter 5 - Summary of Findings and Recommendations ----------------------------------------------------- 63 5.1 Summary of Findings ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 63 5.2 Recommendations --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 68 Chapter 6 - Next Steps -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 71 References ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 72 Annex 1: IUCN Study Team -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 77 Annex 2: The Checklist of the Flora of Puttalam Lagoon & Mannar Bay Area ---------------------------- 78 Annex 3: Checklist of the Fauna of the Gulf of Mannar Region ----------------------------------------------- 96 Annex 4: Archaeological Monuments and Historial sites in the Gulf of Mannar -------------------------- 119 Annex 5: A Training Module for Teachers in the Mannar District --------------------------------------------- 127 Annex 6: Three Posters Targeting Fisher Community on the Theme “Save your rich fish resources” and on “Coral reefs of Mannar” targeting fisher communities--------------------------------------- 192 Biodiversity and Socio-economic Information of selected areas of Sri Lankan side of the Gulf of Mannar i ACRONYMS 1DAY Inboard One Day Boat ADF Assistant Director Fisheries BOBLME Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem BRW Black and Red Ware CBO Community Based Organization CCD Coast Conservation Department CEA Central Environmental Authority CR Critically Endangered Red List category DD Data Deficient Red List category DFO District Fisheries Officer DoA Department of Agriculture DoF Department of Fisheries DS Divisional Secretariat DSDs Divisional Secretariat Divisions EN Endangered Red List category FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FCS Fisheries Co-operative Society FI Fisheries Inspector FIDs Fisheries Inspector Divisions GA Government Agent GIS Geographic Information System GN Grama Niladhari GND Grama Niladhari Division GoM Gulf of Mannar GPS Ground Global Positioning System ha Hectare IMUL Inboard Multiday Boats INGO International Non Governmental Organization IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources MC Municipal Council MCM Million Cubic Metres MENR Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources MFAR Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources MTRB Mechanised Traditional Boats MTRB Motorised Traditional Boat NAQDA National Aquaculture Development Authority NARA National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency NBSB Non-Motorised Beach Seine Boats NGO Non-Governmental Organization Biodiversity and Socio-economic Information of selected areas of Sri Lankan side of the Gulf of Mannar ii NSF National Science Foundation NT Near Threatened Red List category NTRB Non-Traditional Motorised Boats OFRP Outboard Fibre Reinforced Plastic Boat PS Pradeshiya Sabha RRA Rapid Rural Assessment SWM Solid Waste Management UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation VU Vulnerable Red List category Biodiversity and Socio-economic Information of selected areas of Sri Lankan side of the Gulf of Mannar iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 30-year separatist war in the north, northwest, northeast and east of Sri Lanka precluded any systematic field-based scientific studies in these parts of the country, and the Gulf of Mannar (GoM) and bordering areas was no exception. In the aftermath of the war, conflicts have arisen between Sri Lankan and Indian fishers over the exploitation of GoM by Indian fishers and negotiations at governmental level are ongoing to bring about a settlement. In this scenario, it was felt opportune to commence some basic studies to gather baseline data on biodiversity of the GoM and socio- economic conditions of fishery communities dependent its resources. The Government of Sri Lanka is taking steps to propose the Sri Lankan side of the Gulf of Mannar as a Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. A significant amount of baseline data on biodiversity and related aspects must be compiled for this purpose. As a prelude, the National Science Foundation (NSF) requested IUCN to undertake a rapid biodiversity assessment of coastal and marine resources in the GoM and Palk Bay area, with the assistance of the University of Ruhuna and financial support from the Mangroves for the Future Programme. However, pertinent socio-economic data required for a meaningful analysis to make recommendations on the sustainable use of GoM resources was lacking. Hence, a rapid socio- economic study was carried out to complement the biodiversity information on the Gulf of Mannar, and to disseminate both the biodiversity assessments and socio-economic findings among local stakeholders