Sri Lanka’s Mirissa to become Blue Flag Coastal Zone, Marine Wildlife Sanctuary
Daily FT: Recognising the economic and ecological importance, the Government aims to transform Mirissa into a Blue Flag Coastal Zone and a Marine Wildlife Sanctuary aligning with international standards.
On 22 May 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers discussed a proposal to designate the Mirissa Marine Zone as a wildlife sanctuary, aiming to protect its rich biodiversity. Subsequently, a ministerial sub-committee, led by the Prime Minister, was formed to study the proposal’s implications and benefits.
Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said the sub-committee has proposed recommendations focused on boosting the tourism economy of the Southern Province by five folds through the designation of the Mirissa maritime zone as a Blue Flag Coastal Zone and a Marine Wildlife Sanctuary.
When asked if the move would have any adverse impacts by zoning it a Marine Wildlife Sanctuary, Gunawardena said, these were mere recommendations by the ministerial sub-committee and further details would be provided later.
The proposal presented by the Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to implement those recommendations through relevant Ministries and institutions was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s ongoing development programme has also opened business/investment opportunities in promoting a blue and green economy as part of meeting sustainable development goals as well. The country is therefore looking at forming a link between achieving sustainable development goals along with the steadily growing tourism industry. The move to transform Mirissa, which is a tourist destination that offers dolphin watching, etc., into a blue flag coastal zone is the first step towards combining tourism with the country achieving sustainable development goals. The ongoing expansion in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has opened up a host of new business/investment opportunities in the industry with special focus being placed on developing a blue and green industry. All these would also result in attracting tourists interested in eco and sustainable tourism.