• What does meaningful ocean protection look like in Sri Lanka?

The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet, regulates the climate, supports biodiversity, and sustains millions of livelihoods. Yet despite its importance, marine ecosystems around the world continue to face mounting pressure from overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change.

This year’s World Oceans Day, observed on Monday (8), arrives with a renewed focus on Marine Protected Areas (MPA). Under the 2026 theme, ‘Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet,’ conservationists and policymakers are being urged to accelerate progress towards the global goal of protecting 30% of the world’s lands, waters, and oceans by 2030.

For Sri Lanka, a small island nation whose identity, economy, and environment are deeply tied to the sea, the conversation is particularly relevant. While marine conservation has gained visibility in recent years, experts argue that effective protection requires more than simply declaring areas protected.

Defining what success looks like

For marine scientist and Blue Resources Trust Co-Founder Nishan Perera, one of the biggest challenges facing MPAs in Sri Lanka is the lack of clearly defined conservation objectives and measurable indicators of success.

“Management is a wide range of actions being taken towards achieving conservation objectives,” he explained. “That can include patrolling and law enforcement, community engagement and awareness, sustainable livelihoods for local communities, fisheries management, or a combination of all of those things.”

According to Perera, the specific mix of actions needed depends on the unique circumstances of each protected area. The problem arises when those actions are not linked to clear and measurable goals.

He noted that many MPAs currently operated around broad goals rather than quantifiable objectives. Protecting coral reefs, maintaining healthy fish stocks, reducing fishing pressure, or safeguarding endangered species are all important ambitions, but without measurable indicators it becomes difficult to determine whether management efforts are succeeding.

“Effective management is management that gives you the results you want,” he said.

“Sometimes actions are taken with good intentions, but that does not automatically mean they are effective.”

Perera believes Sri Lanka often takes a subjective view of conservation success, equating activity with achievement. The presence of projects, patrols, or awareness campaigns does not necessarily demonstrate positive ecological outcomes.

Research and monitoring, he argues, are essential because they provide the evidence needed to understand whether interventions are producing meaningful change.

The threats beneath the surface

While climate change dominates many international conversations, conservationist and The Pearl Protectors Executive Director Muditha Katuwawala believes several immediate threats facing Sri Lanka’s marine ecosystems receive far less attention than they deserve.

“We have far more important things to focus on when it comes to our oceans than Marine Protected Areas alone,” he said. “There is a larger case to be made for overfishing and disruptive fishing practices that are not being spoken about enough.”

Among his concerns is the continued exploitation of sharks, which play a critical role as apex predators within marine food webs. “We are seeing sharks being killed and ecosystems being put at risk of imbalance because apex predators are being removed from the food chain,” he explained.

Katuwawala pointed to countries such as the Maldives and Seychelles, where shark protection had become both a conservation strategy and an economic asset through marine tourism. “Here, however, we sell them for dirt cheap, but by letting them live, those countries are bringing in much more income through promoting healthy marine ecosystems.”

He also highlighted the growth of poorly regulated wildlife tourism experiences, including activities involving whales and turtles. Although laws exist to regulate many of these activities, enforcement remains a challenge. “The authorities do not always have enough resources and technology to stop these illegal activities from happening,” he said.

If these pressures continue unchecked, he warned, Sri Lanka would risk losing ecosystems that may take decades to recover, if they recover at all.

Protection before restoration

One of the most interesting points raised by Perera is the growing popularity of restoration projects, particularly coral restoration initiatives. While restoration has become a highly visible part of conservation efforts, he argued that it risked distracting attention from the root causes of ecosystem decline. “Protection is stronger than restoration,” he said.

According to Perera, many restoration projects focus on treating the symptoms rather than addressing the drivers of degradation. If overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and pollution continue unchecked, restoration efforts are unlikely to achieve lasting success. “It’s like getting a stent put in but not adjusting your lifestyle and expecting not to have a heart attack,” he said.

Instead, he believes greater emphasis should be placed on managing human impacts, particularly fisheries and land-based pollution, to improve the natural resilience of marine ecosystems in the face of climate change.

What can the public do?

Both conservationists acknowledge that long-term protection ultimately depends on stronger policies, better management, and effective enforcement. However, they also believe the public has an important role to play.

Perera noted that many visitors simply did not know how to behave responsibly within MPAs because information was often limited or unclear. “There is no clear code of conduct that people are aware of,” he said. “When visiting Marine Protected Areas, people should try to be more responsible visitors and support better management.”

Katuwawala believes education remains one of the most powerful tools available. Raising awareness about harmful tourism practices, supporting ethical operators, and encouraging people to experience the ocean responsibly can all contribute to stronger conservation outcomes. Activities such as scuba diving, he noted, often helped people develop a deeper appreciation for marine ecosystems and motivated them to protect them.

He also saw a need to encourage more young people to pursue careers in marine science, conservation, and veterinary medicine. “These are industries with not enough people,” he said. “We need marine biologists, marine vets, and more people entering these fields.”

As the world pushes towards the 2030 conservation targets, both experts agree on one point. Protecting the ocean is not simply about setting aside space on a map. It is about ensuring that protection is meaningful, measurable, and capable of safeguarding the ecosystems that support life both above and below the water.