Puttalam lagoon

An invaluable national asset

Destruction of mangroves, filling up of the lagoon is cause for concern

The coastal zone is an important centre for human activities. Due to the lack of management in coastal zone activities lagoons and estuaries are degrading at a rapid rate. Lagoons and estuaries in Sri Lanka are enriched with biodiversity and consist a variety of ecosystems and natural habitats for all kinds of species. Therefore, while carrying out major development projects in the country, protecting the nature must be given serious consideration as well

Disna MUDALIGE

The Puttalam lagoon is the second largest lagoon in Sri Lanka and its environmental productivity is very high compared to the other lagoons. It is situated in the Western coastal strip of Puttalam District in the North Western province. It has about 130km distance from Colombo. It is a rich resource containing mangroves, corals and sea grass, and facilitates fisheries, tourism and agricultural industries. But within the past two decades, destruction to coastal ecosystems of this lagoon can be witnessed due to human activities such as the construction of saltpans and shrimp ponds in boundary lands of the lagoon, cultivation, urbanization and tourism.

Mangroves in Puttalam lagoon

The Puttalam lagoon is rich in biodiversity and consists of highly important and sensitive coastal ecosystems. For example, the largest national park - Vilpattu is situated to the North of the lagoon and the bar reef to the NorthWest. The lagoon consists of about 25 islands. Due to Puttalam- Kalpitiya Road, the lagoon divides into two sections and the Southern part is referred as Mundalama lagoon, where as the Northern part is referred as the Puttalam lagoon. This lagoon nourishes from two main rivers; Meeoya and Kalaoya; and from several streams.

Valuable ecosystems such as mangroves, thorny bushes, grasslands, salty marshes, mud flats, sea grass, corals and evergreen forests can be found in the Puttalm lagoon and the surrounding area. It also provides food, accommodation and protection for fish, crabs and shrimps. It can be considered as a rare fish-generating centre in the Indian Ocean.

Threats to Lagoon

Valuable natural ecosystems such as mangroves, mudflats, salty marshes and thorny bushes are already destroyed due to the large-scale construction of shrimp ponds and saltpans near the lagoon. The land utilized for shrimp farming up to now is 4489.7 hectares and 2883.6 hectares oft hem are already abandoned. But there is no proper program to at least recover these lands. Abandoned shrimp farms and natural habitats are also used for the salt industry, and at present 3368 hectares are used for the salt industry. Destruction of mangroves and forest cover, waste discharge, filling up of the lagoon and catching fish unsystematically have caused a speedy degradation of the lagoon ecosystems. Unnecessary political involvement and the development plans without proper research and measurement about the ecosystems in the lagoon have contributed towards faster environmental destruction. Therefore, all parties need to pay attention to protect this lagoon which is an invaluable national asset.

Steps to conserve the Lagoon

* Solid Waste Management Project

The population has increased drastically in the surrounding areas of the Puttalam lagoon, due to the recent development activities. Some of people who lived in the North have also shifted to this area. As a result of this population growth, the environment has subjected to a severe pollution.

Especially, with the absence of a proper waste management system in the Kalpitiya city, the environment has victimized to a severe pollution. It can be seen that polythene, plastic and discarded fishing nets are thrown away to the lagoon and on the sides of the road. About 10,613 kiligrams of garbage are collected daily in the Kalpitiya Pradesheeya Sabha.

Understanding the gravity of the problem, the IUCN has initiated a solid waste management project in Kalpitiya allocating Rupees three million. Under the project, systems to collect garbage properly, to produce compost from them and to keep the area clean and neat with the participation of the villagers have initiated.

* Distribution of energy efficient stoves

Most of the ordinary people living near the lagoon use mangroves as timber for their daily energy supply in the households. With the population growth, this has caused a rapid destruction of the mangrove community. To control this situation, the IUCN has donated 1050 energy efficient stoves to the selected families in the area.

As the beneficiaries noted, this has drastically cut down their timber usage. They do not continue to go in collecting timber from the lagoon in a large scale, since they could manage with a small proportion of timber bought once in a month. This project has helped to maintain the natural density of mangroves in the lagoon limiting the cutting of mangroves for timber.

* Introduction of alternative livelihoods

Over exploitation of fish in the lagoon due to the poverty of the people in the area is seen quite common. To reduce their poverty and to help them to generate supplementary incomes, the IUCN has initiated several alternative livelihood projects in the area. Among them, aloe vera cultivation, home gardening, crab fattening and poultry farming have attained successful results.

Mangroves

Mangroves are only grown in intermediate tidal zones. They do not spread onto the land. They have a capacity to resist high temperature, salty environment and strong wind. Mangrove community is a mix of ‘genuine mangroves’ and ‘the plants that grow in the vicinity of mangroves’. Genuine mangroves are only found in a coastal ecosystem and they are not grown naturally on the interior land. Other plants found in a coastal ecosystem are grown in between mangroves as well as inside the country.

From the researches carried out up to now in 112 countries, 65 genuine mangrove varieties are found. Surprisingly, out of the 43 lagoons and estuaries in Sri Lanka, 20 genuine mangrove varieties are found. Like this, one third of the world’s mangrove varieties are placed in the Southern and Western coastal areas.

It can be expected that in future investigations in the Northern and Eastern coastal areas, which were freed recently by the grasp of terrorism, several more mangrove varieties will be revealed.

Puttalam lagoon is one main place where a wide spread of mangroves can be seen.

There is a high density of mangroves around Kalaoya estuary. There are 16 genuine mangrove varieties and 12 other plants belong to the mangrove community around the lagoon.

Benefits of Mangroves

* A rich resource for fish, crab and shrimp industries.

* Provide accommodation, protection and food for all kinds of species.

* Conserve corals

* Nourish sea grass

*Since lagoon and estuary water is shallow and calm, no need for high technological equipment or strong effort for fishing.

* The fishing nets and sails are coloured using a juice extracted from mangrove peels, to reduce decaying.

* Most of the mangrove varieties are used as timber and serve for a large proportion of the daily energy consumption of many ordinary households of the area.

* Mangroves are also taken as a wood to construct fences, houses, temporary constructions and wood pillars.

* Some of the mangrove varieties have a high medicinal value.

* Different kinds of food and beverages are also prepared using mangroves.

*Since bees are highly attracted to the mangrove community, bee honey can be collected as a supplementary income.

* Stoppers can be made from the Sonneratia (Kirala) plant.

* All the uses of a palm tree can be obtained from the Nypa fruticans (ginpol) plant.

* Mangroves are used to feed animals.

* An invaluable places for scientific researches

* Promote tourism with splendid biodiversity

* Provide protection from strong wind and tsunami and prevent soil erosion.

Destruction of Mangroves

As Mangrove Resources Centre and Biological Garden General Manager Douglas Thissera pointed out, Pambala - Halawatha lagoon is now biologically dead. The artificial shrimp ponds were created almost completely clearing the mangroves in the lagoon by bringing sand cubes from the outside.

This sand was washed away to the lagoon during the rainy season and the lagoon was filled. As a result, algae were bred and the fishermen have been unable to use nets. Even the chemicals used for shrimp farming have mixed to the lagoon water.

“Pambala and other surrounding fishing villages about 200 fishermen were engaged in fishing those days. But now only 20-30 fishermen are remaining in the area”, he mentioned.

References: Mangroves in Sri Lanka by Douglas Thissera and M.P. Kumara

Coastal Management Activities- Puttalam Lagoon by the IUCN