The Cabinet has granted consent to the proposal to make the Mirissa marine zone a Blue Flag coastal zone and a marine wildlife sanctuary conforming to international standards, Cabinet Spokesman and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana said.
“This will increase the Southern province’s tourism-based economy by fivefold,” he said.
The Minister was speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing held yesterday at the Government Information Department.
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator meets its standards.
In the meeting held on May 22, 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers discussed the proposal regarding the declaration of the Mirissa Marine Zone as a wildlife sanctuary. A ministerial sub-committee headed by the Prime Minister has been appointed to further study the proposal with the participation of all relevant parties and submit recommendations to the Cabinet.
The sub-committee has made recommendations aimed at increasing the tourism economy of the southern province by five times by turning the Mirissa maritime zone into a Blue Flag Coastal Zone and a Marine Wildlife Sanctuary conforming to international standards.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Prime Minister to implement those recommendations through relevant ministries and institutions.
