In February 1996 and also in February 1997, Robert Irving led two three-week phases of a field survey of reef areas in the south-west of Sri Lanka, as part of a three year project assessing the management of marine aquarium fisheries and the conservation of coral reef biodiversity, under the guidance of Dr Liz Wood of the Marine Conservation Society. A team of five volunteers from the UK teamed up with two Sri Lankan marine biologists, concentrating on recording coral/algal cover, conspicuous invertebrates and fish species. The project was a co-operative venture between the Marine Conservation Society (UK) and the National Aquatic Resources Agency (Sri Lanka), funded by a Darwin Initiative grant. [Back]
Inspecting fish holding tanks Clownfish and anemone
Typical reef piscifauna Artisanal fishing boat with outrider
