The World Conservation Union continues
its post-tsunami reef and beach clean-up programme: at Swami Rock, a popular
dive site on the east coast of Sri Lanka, IUCN in collaboration with Diving
The Snake, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and the Coast Conservation
Department, has lifted fishing nets and other debris deposited there by
the Tsunami.
The coral reefs in the Trincomalee region
were badly affected by the December 26 Indian Ocean tsunami which inflicted
substantial mechanical damage to many of the coral colonies, either overturning
or breaking them. In comparison to many of the coastal areas of the south
and southwest of Sri Lanka, there was little debris deposition on the reefs
in the east, probably due to the less developed infrastructure in the region.
However, some fishing nets were found on the reefs around Pigeon Islands
National Park.
Since Pigeon Islands, a Marine Protected Area had already been cleaned up by Diving The Snake, based north of Trincomalee, the IUCN cleanup programme focused its efforts on Swami Rock, a rocky headland at the south end of Uppuveli Beach that is favoured by many local fishermen and dive operators alike. It is made up of large boulders on a slope descending to the sandy seabed at a maximum depth of 22m. There is some coral growth, in the form of encrusting and massive coral colonies, and often large numbers of commercially valuable fish and other smaller reef-related fish species. As well as the tsunami waves depositing some debris, years of fishing have taken their toll on this area, with large numbers of fishing nets and lines becoming snagged on the rocks and corals, and consequently endangering the marine life in this area and also creating a considerably less attractive dive site.
For the clean up, 13 divers were carried to the site on two boats, one of which anchored up whilst the other stayed free to aid with the lifting of the nets. Four pairs of divers descended to the base, where one pair remained whilst the other pairs spread out over the area searching for debris. These divers then carefully removed the nets and lines, swimming along the lengths coiling them in their hands and using scissors to cut away any bits tangled round corals or other marine organisms. This was a delicate operation due to the large numbers of sea urchins present in amongst the debris. Once free, the nets were then brought back to the central base where the first pair remained. Two or three volunteers had stayed on the surface snorkelling and acting as intermediaries between the dive operation and the boatmen. Once sufficient net had been accumulated, the free-floating boat dropped its anchor above the stationary divers who then hooked the debris on to the anchor and signalled to the snorkelers who subsequently helped the boatmen to haul it in to the boat. Swami Rock is now practically free of debris damaging the corals at the site. Once ashore, all the debris was collected and taken to Vilkambiwara, a government-recommended dumpsite in Kanniya about 8km from Trincomalee.
Other reef cleanup operations are planned over the coming months at sites along the southwest and east coasts of Sri Lanka. Please contact Marten Meynell by email at mcm@iucnsl.org or by telephone on +94 11 2694094 (Ext 406) or +94 776 329230 (mobile) for further information.