Most parts of the Southern coastal belt of Sri Lanka are fringed with shallow water coral reefs of high economic, ecological and socioeconomic attributes. Polhena, Madiha and Dondra are some of the places where the isolated coral reefs are located in this region. Descriptive details such as the extent, reef margins, and coral compositions of these reefs are lacking due to the difficulties of accessibility, harsh conditions and the lacking of trained expertise for reef mapping. Remote sensing can be used as a tool to identify the reef locations, spatial distribution, bottom nature, present status of the reef area for their effective management and conservation. In this research, bathymetry maps were produced using ‘Depth of Penetration’ method for Landsat7 ETM+ satellite images. Image band 1 (0.45-0.515μm), band2 (0.525-0.605μm), band3 (0.63-0.69μm) and band4 (0.75-0.9μm) have been used as main inputs of bathymetry mapping. Colour composites, classified images and manually digitized images were used to map the spatial pattern of the reefs. The image processing has been carried out with ILWIS 3.3 and ArcGIS 9.3 software. Created maps were validated using ground truth data which were taken during the field survey. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r=0.921) indicates that there is a high correlation between true depth and the calculated depth from the map. The standard error of the estimate is 0.85. According to the created GIS maps, maximum depth (1.83±0.79m) was recorded in Dondra reef while lowest depth (1.46±1.23 m) was recorded in Polhena reef. Depth of the madiha reef was 1.81±0.99 m. Highest reef area represented by the Polhena reef (240300 m2) while lowest area represented by the Madiha reef (51300 m2). Area of the Dondra reef was 85500 m2. Band 4 is the best for shallow (<4m) reef mapping and high resolution images are ideal for more detailed habitat mapping.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljas.v19i0.7450 Sri Lanka J. Aquat. Sci. 19 (2014): 41-55

The Southern Province of Sri Lanka provides numerous socio-economic benefits to the country. As the apex higher education institute in the province, the University of Ruhuna (UoR) was initially established as a university college in 1978 and converted into a university in 1984. The University has contributed to uplifting the socio-economic status of the province since its inception, through knowledge dissemination, introducing technology and innovations, solving problems in industries, etc. Socio-economic boom of the southern province was investigated and the UoR's role in improving the economic status of the province to get out of the prevailing economic crisis in the country was examined. This paper identifies the province's major economic activities in the agricultural sector, marine resources, tourism, and economic centres. Being a regional maritime hub, there is a huge potential for the province to gain foreign revenue for the country. Unique cultural values and natural beauty attract more tourists to the province. The economic centres must be utilized efficiently with a proper plan to gain maximum benefit from them. Effective contributions to improving health, agriculture, engineering and technology, fisheries in the province, and boosting southern culture and lifestyles are the priority areas identified for the University to cater for the province.

Amid global energy demands and environmental concerns, the exploration of renewable energy sources has become critically important. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of wind energy dynamics over a 35-year period (1988–2022) using CCMP and ERA5 datasets. It focuses on the spatial and temporal characteristics of wind energy within the region, particularly its distribution. The wind field in Sri Lanka has significant seasonal and regional characteristics. Despite seasonal variations, the overall wind activity remains moderate, with speeds generally above 5.4 m/s and annual average wind power densities exceeding 150 W/m², reaching up to 200 W/m² in certain areas. The two primary wind directions in the waters near Sri Lanka are WSW and NE. The study identifies periods of high stability, particularly from June to August, where effective wind speed occurrence (EWSO) exceeds 80%. A ‘W’-shaped pattern in monthly variations corresponds with changes in wind power density (WPD), highlighting optimal periods for wind energy extraction. Additionally, estimated reserves and technically exploitable wind energy resources (WERs) suggest that wind energy development off Sri Lanka is feasible, with potential capacities of approximately 2.00 GW and 1.60 GW, respectively. The overall coefficient of variation (CV) is small, indicating stable wind energy conditions. This analysis not only provides a scientific basis for evaluating WERs near Sri Lanka but also offers valuable insights for strategic planning and development in the renewable energy sector.

This paper describes the distribution, abundance and seasonal variation in blue whales (BWs) on the south coast of Sri Lanka, off Mirissa, where they are faced with anthropogenic threats. Data collection encompassed opportunistic sightings by whale-watching (WW) operations. This study revealed that large aggregations of BWs consistently overlapped with busy shipping lanes located between Dondra Head and Galle within important foraging and breeding regions on the south coast. Throughout 2015 (except June and July), 729 BWs were sighted over 177 sighting days. The sighting frequency was higher during the northeast monsoon and the first intermonsoon and lower throughout the second intermonsoon (n = 9) and latter part of the southwest monsoon. The highest frequencies of BW encounters per day occurred in April (n = 15) and December (n = 20), while the mean annual group size per sighting was 3.07 ± 0.24. From the January-to-April season, 13 mother–calf combinations and 1 pregnant cow were sighted off the southern coastline of Mirissa, suggesting the calving season peaks between the months of March and April in Sri Lanka. As this important habitat overlapped with the busiest shipping lanes, fishing and commercial whale-watching activities, the authorities have to take action toward the conservation of this ecosystem and whales as well as their safe navigation.

The characteristics of local surface wind are closely related to the assessment of wind power resources and the oscillation period of offshore wind turbines. In this research, we analyzed near-surface wind observation data from the southern coast of Sri Lanka, comparing the surface wind variation characteristics across different seasons. Through spectral analysis, we discuss the wind stability and oscillation period, aiming to provide information for the management strategies and oscillation issues of offshore wind turbines in the North Equatorial Indian Ocean to ensure their stable operation. Our findings showed that the Indian summer monsoon dominated the seasonal surface wind variation in the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The local monsoon period began in mid-May and ended in mid-October, during which stable southwest winds prevailed with an average maximum 10 m wind speed exceeding 6.0 m/s. In contrast, surface wind was unstable and weaker during autumn and winter. The surface wind speed exhibited a clear diurnal oscillation throughout the year. The wind speed power spectral density exhibited clear peaks at periods of 24 h, 12 h, and 6 h.