The Legal Protection of Coral Reefs in Sri Lanka: A Critical Analysis

Abstract

Sri Lanka, being an island nation, has an abundance of coral reefs and reef ecosystems situated around the country. However, they are currently under the threat of rapid deterioration due to adverse human activities. Even though this deterioration is happening at an alarming rate, it does not receive the necessary attention of society. This paper seeks to analyze the Sri Lankan legal framework on the protection of coral reefs to ascertain whether it provides a satisfactory framework to protect the coral reefs situated around the country against the threats of damage. This research employed the comparative legal method to compare Sri Lankan law with international standards to determine the lessons for law reform. The methodology of this paper is mainly based on the black letter approach and data is gathered from both primary and secondary sources. This study concludes that the Sri Lankan legal system is inadequate to address the threats faced by coral reef ecosystems which escalates the destruction and thereby, recognizes the importance of adapting from international standards to the Sri Lankan legal system to preserve these invaluable resources for future generations.