The combating Coastal Erosion dates back to many centuries and Coast Protection works were handled by various departments at various times prior to 1963. The realization of the government, that a comprehensive approach to coastal erosion control is required, led to establishment of a Coast Protection Unit in the Colombo Port Commission in 1963. In 1978, the Coast Protection Unit was transferred to Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (MFAR) and was functioned as Coast Conservation Division.

In 1981, parliament enacted the Coast Conservation Act No. 57 of 1981, which is "an act to make provision for a survey of the coastal zone and the preparation of a Coastal Zone Management Plan; to regulate and control development activities within the coastal zone; to make provision for the formulation and execution of schemes of work for coast conservation within the coastal zone; to make consequential amendments to certain written lows; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto". Accordingly the Coast Conservation Division was upgraded to Coast Conservation Department (CCD), in 1984 and the administration, control, custody and management of the coastal zone have been vested with Director, Coast Conservation. Amendment to the Act was passed in 1988 as the Coast Conservation (Amendment) Act No. 64 of 1988. The department was further upgrade in 2009 July and the first Director General Coast Conservation was appointed.

The Coast Conservation Act required having a survey of the Coastal Zone and preparation of a Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP). The CZMP, prepared by the CCD, was adopted by the Government and implemented as the Coastal Zone Management Plan 1990. A Resource Management strategy for Sri Lanka’s coastal region, “Coastal 2000”, which provided the direction for Coastal Resources Management of Sri Lanka, was prepared in1992. The second revised CZMP was implemented since 1997. The last revision of the CZMP was done in 2004 and is being implemented.

Objectives

Coastal regions are home to a large and growing population in Sri Lanka. The high concentration of population have produced many economic benefits from the coastal resources, in particular from fishing, tourism, and maritime activities, while having improved transportation links, developed industrial and urban centers, and modified physical nature in the coastal zone. Eventually the increasing beneficiaries cause for degrading the Natural Coastal Environment. Hence Engineering and Management of Coastal Zone is vital for the sustainability of Coastal Resources.

Specifically CCD’s objectives are to;

Improve the status of coastal environment

Develop and manage the shoreline

Improve the living standards of coastal communities

Promote and facilitate economic development based upon coastal resources

Outputs

Added value for the coastal resources

Environmentally friendly developments

Increased contribution to the national economy

Secured social, economic and cultural values of Coastal Community

Increased productivity of coastal habitat

Mitigated disaster impacts on coastal inhabitants

Services

Theme	Services	Responsible Office
Erosion	Shoreline Monitoring, Exploration of Coastal Processes & Erosion Risk, and Formulation of Shoreline Stabilization & Development Projects	Research & Design Division
	Controlling Emergency Coastal Erosion	Works Division
	Construction of Coastal Protective Structures and Implementation of Shoreline Stabilization & Development Projects
	Surveillance for Controlling of Coral & Sand Mining	Planning Division
	Regulation of Developments by Set Back Standards & EIA, and Monitoring Compliances
Disasters	Develop & Update Coastal Risk Profile on Erosion, Tsunami, Storm surge and Sea Level Rise etc and Develop Strategies, Policies, Plans and Projects for Risk Reduction	Research & Design Division
	Establish and Maintain Coastal Green Belt through Community Participation	Planning Division
Habitats	Formulation and Implementation  of Strategies, Policies, Plans and Projects for Restoration of Mangrove Ecosystems, Coral Reef etc	Planning Division
	Formulation and Implementation of Lagoon & Estuary Management Plan	Research & Design Division
Information	Collection, Updating and Make Available for Public and Private Retrieval of Coastal Information and Publish on the Web	Research & Design Division
Awareness	Conducting Awareness Programs for Public, School Children, Government Officers etc, Making Available Notices, Participation in Exhibitions	Planning Division
Engineering	Providing Coastal Engineering Consultation for Public & Private for the Formulation of Projects/Programs in Coastal Sector	Research & Design Division
	Collection, Process, and Share the Coastal Hydrodynamic Data
Water	Monitoring of Coastal Water Quality, Analysis for Trends & Issues, Issuing Alerts and Warnings, Identification of Polluting Sources and Coastal Water Management through Development of Standards, Strategies, Policies, Plans and Projects	Research & Design Division
Access	Establish Public Beach Accesses by Maintaining Right to Access to the beach for the Public	Planning Division

Other key statutes

Central Environmental Authority (CEA)

An act to establish a Central Environmental Authority to make provision with respect to the powers, functions and duties of that authority; and to make provision for the protection and management of the environment and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
National Environmental Act Act, No.47 of 1980

Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA)

An act to provide for the prevention, control and reduction of pollution in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka or any other maritime zone, its fore-shore and the coastal zone of Sri Lanka and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Marine Pollution Prevention Act, No.35 of 2008

Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR)

An act to provide for the Management, Regulation, Conservation and development of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Sri Lanka; to repeal the Fisheries Ordinance (Chapter 212), the Chank Fisheries Act (Chapter 213), the Pearl Fisheries Ordinance (Chapter 214) and the Whaling Ordinance (Chapter 215); and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996 and Act, No. 4 of 2004 (Amendment)

National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka (NAQDA)

An act to provide for the establishment of the National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka, to develop aquatic resources and the aquaculture industry: and to make provision for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka Act, No.53 of 1998 and Act, No. 23 of 2006 (Amendment)

National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA)

An act to provide for the establishment of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency, which shall be the principal national institution charged with the responsibility of carrying out and co-coordinating research, development and management activities on the subject of aquatic recourses, and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency Act, No.54 of 1981

Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC)

An act to provide for the protection and conservation of the Fauna and Flora of Sri Lanka and their habitats; for the prevention of commercial and other misuse of such fauna and flora and their habitats, for the conservation of the biodiversity of Sri Lanka; and to provide for matters connected  The Fauna and Flora Protection therewith or incidental thereto.
Fauna and Flora Protection Act, No. 22 of 2009 (Amendment)

Urban Development Authority (UDA)

A Law to provide for the establishment of an Urban Development Authority to promote integrated planning and implementation of economic, social and physical development of certain areas as may be declared by the minister to be Urban Development areas and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Urban Development Authority Law, No 41 of 1978