250
R. Ramesh . S. Ramachandran
13.5.3
Coastal Area Management Initiatives
With a history of 15 years, Sri Lanka's coastal management programme is considered
successful amongst developing countries. The programme was first adopted in response
to Sri Lanka's highly visible coastal problem, that of coastal erosion. The mandate of
the Coastal Protection Unit set up under the Colombo Port Commission in 1963, was
consequently to seek an engineering solution to the erosion problem. The Unit concentrated on the construction of coast protection structures designed to meet sitespecific requirements. There was however, no mechanism to coordinate the activities
of other departments with jurisdiction over coastal areas, so that efforts at coastal protection were often piecemeal and ad hoc.
In 1978, a Coast Conservation Division was established within the Ministry of Fisher\es with the responsibility of handling all matters related to coastal conservation.
However, it was only in 1981 that the Coast Conservation Act (CCA) N° 57 was enacted
to deal specifically with coastal problems in a more comprehensive manner. The existing Coast Conservation Division was upgraded into the Coast Conservation Department (CCD). The CCA also established the Coast Conservation Advisory Council
(CCAC), an advisory body, to review coastal management problems of significant concern and to give appropriate advice. The CCAC consists of 14 members drawn from
various departments with responsibilities for coastal zone management and development, universities, NGOs as well as from the fishing community.
The Act aims at regulating development within a narrow zone (lying between a limit
of 300 m landward of the mean high water and a limit of 2 km seaward of the mean
low water line), to prevent environmental degradation, pollution and erosion. The CCA
assigns the CCD with three primary responsibilities within the designated coastal zone:
a Policy formulation, planning and research;
b AdministratiQD of permit procedures regulating coastal activities; and
c Construction and maintenance of shoreline protection works.
The Act prescribes two important tools for the regulation of development activities
by the CCD namelY, the permit system and the Environmental Impact Assessment requirement for managing development projects in coastal areas. Non-regulatory tools
include the construction of coast protection structures and awareness generation about
coastal problems through environmental education.
The Act also calls for the setting up of environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures for large development activities potentially affecting the coastal zone. The EIA
procedure involves seeking the cooperation of the general public as well as the NGOs.
In 1988, the CCD was amended in response to the growing threat posed by coral mining. The Coast Conservation (Amendment) Act N° 64 of 1988 prohibits engaging in the
mining, collecting, processing, possessing, storing, burning and transporting - in any
form whatever - of coral within the coastal zone. However, without the support of
broader measures to provide alternative means of livelihood for people traditionally
dependent on coral mining, this remains a complex issue.
The other initiatives in coastal management in Sri Lanka are the Special Area Management (SAM) projects currently under way in two areas, the Hikkaduwa Marine Sanc-
R. Ramesh . S. Ramachandran
13.5.3
Coastal Area Management Initiatives
With a history of 15 years, Sri Lanka's coastal management programme is considered
successful amongst developing countries. The programme was first adopted in response
to Sri Lanka's highly visible coastal problem, that of coastal erosion. The mandate of
the Coastal Protection Unit set up under the Colombo Port Commission in 1963, was
consequently to seek an engineering solution to the erosion problem. The Unit concentrated on the construction of coast protection structures designed to meet sitespecific requirements. There was however, no mechanism to coordinate the activities
of other departments with jurisdiction over coastal areas, so that efforts at coastal protection were often piecemeal and ad hoc.
In 1978, a Coast Conservation Division was established within the Ministry of Fisher\es with the responsibility of handling all matters related to coastal conservation.
However, it was only in 1981 that the Coast Conservation Act (CCA) N° 57 was enacted
to deal specifically with coastal problems in a more comprehensive manner. The existing Coast Conservation Division was upgraded into the Coast Conservation Department (CCD). The CCA also established the Coast Conservation Advisory Council
(CCAC), an advisory body, to review coastal management problems of significant concern and to give appropriate advice. The CCAC consists of 14 members drawn from
various departments with responsibilities for coastal zone management and development, universities, NGOs as well as from the fishing community.
The Act aims at regulating development within a narrow zone (lying between a limit
of 300 m landward of the mean high water and a limit of 2 km seaward of the mean
low water line), to prevent environmental degradation, pollution and erosion. The CCA
assigns the CCD with three primary responsibilities within the designated coastal zone:
a Policy formulation, planning and research;
b AdministratiQD of permit procedures regulating coastal activities; and
c Construction and maintenance of shoreline protection works.
The Act prescribes two important tools for the regulation of development activities
by the CCD namelY, the permit system and the Environmental Impact Assessment requirement for managing development projects in coastal areas. Non-regulatory tools
include the construction of coast protection structures and awareness generation about
coastal problems through environmental education.
The Act also calls for the setting up of environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures for large development activities potentially affecting the coastal zone. The EIA
procedure involves seeking the cooperation of the general public as well as the NGOs.
In 1988, the CCD was amended in response to the growing threat posed by coral mining. The Coast Conservation (Amendment) Act N° 64 of 1988 prohibits engaging in the
mining, collecting, processing, possessing, storing, burning and transporting - in any
form whatever - of coral within the coastal zone. However, without the support of
broader measures to provide alternative means of livelihood for people traditionally
dependent on coral mining, this remains a complex issue.
The other initiatives in coastal management in Sri Lanka are the Special Area Management (SAM) projects currently under way in two areas, the Hikkaduwa Marine Sanc-