Untitled - Neccdep.com

TRINCOMALEE BAY SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA Page | 50
8. Presentation of draft SAM Plan to CCD
212. Since CCD is the final authority for approving the SAM Plan it needs to be submitted
to the CCD for views and suggestions. Once the CCD suggestions and views have been
incorporated it can then be submitted to the higher authority by NECCDEP for formal
processing and approval.
D. Present status of issues/threats in management of SAM Area
213. Several environmental issues were identified through the consultation process, the
review of studies, including special studies, and field studies. Most of these issues were
identified in earlier studies and in the interim SAM planning process. Important issues to be
addressed by the comprehensive SAM Plan are briefly described below.
1. Weak law enforcement process
214. Illegal activities such as destruction of forests and mangroves, encroachment, sand
and gravel mining, and illegal fisheries are secondary issues resulting from weak law
enforcement. The consultation process and field visits revealed the absence of relevant
officers, low levels of field monitoring and lack of community based linkages. Under these
circumstances individuals can violate the rules and regulations without censure resulting in
overexploitation to the longer term detriment of the community as a whole.
228. Strengthening the law enforcement process is the solution for most of the issues
raised during the consultation process.
2. Lack of proper boundary demarcation for natural habitats, reservation
and estuaries
215. This is a significant issue because the lack of proper boundaries provides
opportunities for people to break the law on the basis that they are not aware of/have not
been informed about, the boundaries. Field studies suggest that this is the cause of
encroachment of mangrove in Kinniya. The state agencies also face difficulties in prosecuting
boundary related cases in the courts when proper boundaries are not marked. As a result,
state officers are reluctant to take action against culprits. Hence it is necessary to undertake
a proper boundary survey and demarcation with clear boundary markers. Such a process
generally discourages individuals from entering demarcated areas because they know that
they are breaking the law.
216. It was very clear, from the field visits, that demarcating the boundary for the SAM area
is difficult because of the existing land uses.
3. Lack of coordinating mechanism
217. Many state agencies and NGOs are operating as individual entities to implement
different activities, or even the same activities. This can be both confusing and counterproductive.
Collaboration and information exchange is the solution. Hence the need for the
DSAM CCC. In addition whilst most of the agencies are implanting activities to achieve a
common goal uncoordinated interventions are not sufficient to address some issues. The
sharing and combining of resources can lead to more efficient delivery.
218. Security forces, particularly the Navy, maintain several checkpoints around the bay
area and those officers could minimise the illegal cutting of mangroves and encroachments if
there are proper coordination mechanisms. Hence it is necessary to include representatives
from security forces in the DSAM CCC.