Template for Submission of Scientific Information to Describe Areas Meeting Scientific Criteria for Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas Title/Name of the area: Negombo Lagoon, Sri Lanka

in less than 150 words) Negombo Lagoon is one of the most productive and sensitive ecosystems in Sri Lanka. The main fresh water input comes to this lagoon from the rivers Dandugam Oya and Ja-ela. The Negombo Lagoon and its coastal environment have had a long association with the fishery industry. The salinity of Negombo Lagoon is strongly related to the monsoon rains and varies from almost zero to near oceanic salinity. Negombo Lagoon is in the mesotrophic state according to the trophic status. Altogether 89 species of benthic invertebrates, 29 mangrove species, seven sea grass species and 140 species of fish have been recorded. The lagoon and the adjacent reef areas function as the major nursery, refuge and feeding grounds for most of catadromous species. Thus, it is necessary to manage and protect this sensitive ecosystem in a sustainable manner. Introduction (To include: feature type(s) presented, geographic description, depth range, oceanography, general information data reported, availability of models) Negombo Lagoon is one of the most productive estuaries in Sri Lanka. It is 12 km in length from south to north and 3.75 km at its widest point (Fig. 1). The mean depth of the lagoon is about 1.2 m. The greatest recorded water depth is 2.6 m but 10% of the lagoon has a water depth of less than 0.5 m (Fig. 2). The lagoon covers an area of approximately 32 km 2 and opens to the sea at its northern end. To the south, it is connected to the Muthurajawela marsh which covers an area of approximately 31 km 2 and together the lagoon and marsh constitute a conjoined, tidally influenced coastal wetland. The main fresh water input comes from the rivers Dandugam Oya and Ja-ela but the lagoon is characterized by a brackish water flora (seaweeds) and some mangrove forests in the northern part. The Negombo Lagoon and its coastal environment have had a long association with the fishing industry. There are 47 jetties constructed in the channel segment of the estuary. There is a demand for the provision of a fisheries harbour in or around the vicinity of the lagoon. During the last decade, several development activities took place in the area including construction activities of the Colombo-Katunayake express highway. There are 15 aquaculture farms operating in the area, but a majority of them, either non-functioning or have been abandoned due to disease prone low yields. Local fisher community is not much enthusiastic about any type of eco-tourism as they believe that the water sports such as surfing or operating high speed boats will destroy their traditional fishing areas.