Estuaries endangered

Disna MUDALIGE

The natural system of barrier-built estuaries is disturbed due to the absence of proper measurement and management of human activities, said Environment Ministry Biodiversity Director Gamini Gamage.

He was addressing a media awareness program to mark the 'International Biodiversity Year 2010', organized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Environment Ministry. He pointed out that a large number of very poor households depend on barrier-built estuaries for their livelihood. He noted that if the present situation continues at this rate, a collapse of fishing industry and flood damage is inevitable.

"We have systematically disturbed relationships within the barrier-built estuaries by engineering structures and by pollution. A change in one set of relationships among the parts that make up the system can have unpredictable consequences for the entire system," he expressed.

The management of barrier-built estuaries has become difficult because of the complexity of the ecosystems, inadequacy of ecosystem based science and failure of supporting institutions. Therefore a vicious cycle of 'hyper sedimentation' has begun.

"Most management interventions that we undertake for barrier-built estuaries are directed at safeguarding fish productivity and dependent livelihood.

Fish productivity in a barrier-built estuary is associated with the presence of sea grass beds, mangroves, reed beds, shell beds among others," he mentioned.