Sri Lanka Navy replants corals in northern and eastern seas

Oct 17, Colombo: Sri Lanka Navy has launched a social responsibility project to rejuvenate the coral reefs in the island's northern and eastern seas.

The project was launched in support of Sri Lankan President's vision for “A Green Country, A Clean Environment” implemented by the Ministry of Environment under his purview.

Navy divers attached to the Northern and Eastern Naval Commands have embarked on replanting corals in the seas off the Coral Cove in Trincomalee and the Charty beach in Jaffna under the guidance of the Wild Life Research and Conservation Trust (WRCT).

The ambitious conservation measure is being implemented utilizing the financial assistance provided by Tokyo Cement, the main sponsor, in a bid to bring the fast diminishing beauty back to the blue ocean.

Prior to the commencement of their Naval Social Responsibility (NSR) project, SLN divers took part in an awareness program conducted by the Blue Resources Trust, a marine research and consultancy organization based in Sri Lanka, on collecting data related to coral reefs.

Armed with the requisite knowledge and techniques, they set about planting corals in pre-identified reef boulders, clearly demarcating the planted areas in order to minimize possible damage caused through fisheries activities in the vicinity.

Continuous monitoring has shown the healthy growth of corals under the care of naval personnel who make sure not only to remove invasive weeds growing on the coral reefs but also remain vigilant not to allow the dislodging of painstakingly planted corals due to rough sea conditions.