The symposium on ‘Great and Little Basses Reef and Marine Conservation’ was successfully held at the Light House Galley, Colombo yesterday (24). The Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, graced this occasion as the Chief Guest. The symposium which was convened for the second time, had been undertaken by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard at the directives of Commander of the Navy.
Responding positively to a request made by the convener of the Great and Little Basses Reef Marine Conservation Project Mr. Kiyaz Deen, the Navy and Coast Guard extended their fullest cooperation for the successful conduct of the symposium.
The initial symposium held in year 2014 in Kirinda provided much needed awareness and remedial action to protect three maritime wrecks lying in the seas near Great Bases Reef light house. Besides, it also paved the way to curtail the killing of fish species using spear guns by unscrupulous scuba divers, as a result of the SL Coast Guard involvement to avert such attempts.
The second chapter of this timely initiative came into being today in a bid to contribute towards overall marine protection and conservation in Sri Lanka. A number of speakers from the Department of Wildlife Conservation, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Police and several other organizations delivered papers at the event.
Director General Operations, Rear Admiral Piyal De Silva, Commander Western Naval Area, Rear Admiral Niraja Attygalle, Chairman of Marine Environment Protection Authority, Rear Admiral (Retd) PADR Perera, Chairman of National Aquatic Resources research and Development Agency (NARA), Dr. Anil Premaratne, Coordinator, Coastal and Marine Programme, Mr. Arjan Rajasuriya and a host of distinguished invitees were also present on the occasion.
