Oceans are a sacred environment - Minister Senaratne

It gives me much pleasure to address this regional programme on the application of isotope techniques to monitor the Marine Environment. A programme of the present nature is very relevant to an island nation like ours, which enjoys a vast coastal belt and also an ocean area, nearly eight times its land area, or 1/2 million square kilometres coming under its jurisdiction or the exclusive economic zone.

Ocean environment is very important for us Sri Lankans as we heavily depend on seafood as a source of animal protein. Over 70 percent of our animal protein is derived from fish. This is why my Ministry is striving to increase our per capita consumption of fish from the present 30gm/day to 60gm/day, within the next two years.

The total fish production which stood at 340,000 metric tons in 2009 has risen by over 100,000 metric tons by 2011 to reach a total fish production of 445,000 metric tons. Measures are in place to increase fish production to 590,000 metric tons by mid 2013. In this back drop, a cleaner marine environment is as important as the land environment. We all know water is a 'Universal Solvent'. Oceans are a sacred environment where all life forms have begun, and one which traps sun's energy to enrich the marine food chain. Thus it is important to treat our ocean environment with care and respect. The Fisheries Ministry has worked closely with the line Ministries for almost three decades to ensure the sanctity of our oceans, especially the coastal areas. We have embarked on a 'cleaner harbours programme' to ensure our harbours and to ensure that their environs are kept pollution free and 'Green' through implementing the Japanese 'Five S' concept starting with the Mirissa harbour in the South.

Oceanic phenomena

NARA, the Research and Development arm of the Fisheries Ministry, is also concerned about monitoring a wide range of oceanic phenomena: renewable and non-renewable resource surveys, hydrographic and bathymetric survey, environmental monitoring, climate change etc. In order to facilitate research in these areas, we have embarked on an extensive marine environment monitoring and survey programme at the National Aquatic Resources Agency. NARA will shortly take delivery of a special research vessel built at a cost of US $ 3 million for this purpose. On the other hand, our efforts to increase the output of the fishing industry will not bear fruit in the face of adverse impacts brought about by climate change. Scientists believe that our oceanic waters will be about 40cm higher, and also much warmer, than today by the end of 21st century.

This will put coral reefs and sea grass beds and its associated organisms into highly vulnerable situation, while also aggravating several fold the current rate of sea erosion of 175,000 - 285,000 square meters of coast per annum. According to historical records there had been extensive sea grass beds in the Mannar Bay area of the North Western Sea Board of Sri Lanka. Dugong, a marine mammalian, feeding on such sea grass beds, had been living in plenty in these areas in the eighteenth century. But they are now a rarity!.

Nuclear material

With the growing quest for energy, many nations have started looking at the option of nuclear energy in place of fossil fuel, opening possibilities for nuclear contamination of oceanic waters.

We still have vivid memories of what happened after the massive Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011 in Fukushima, Japan. Though the radioactive material released to the ocean were vastly diluted, scientists are concerned of the bio-accumulation of radioactive contaminants like caesium-137, with a half-life over 30 years, getting trapped in the food chain possibly causing an increased mortality in fish and marine-mammal populations.

We all know that thousands of scientists in Japan and other parts of the world are continuously monitoring concentrations of radionuclides in water, sediments, plankton, molluscs, crustaceans, seaweed, fish etc in the vicinity and waters far away to assess the health of the marine ecosystem. Investigations involving nuclear material are costly and requires special skills and facilities. I am happy to note that NARA is actively cooperating in the on going programme and also in planned activities through networking with marine scientists both within the region and beyond. I sincerely hope the present programme will help to further strengthen our country's ability to sustainable utilization of our marine resources in an environment friendly manner and safeguard our marine environment for posterity.