Hambantota Port breakwater becomes a coral reef biodiversity hotspot

Marine life
By Editor_1
Sri Lanka’s China-backed Hambantota Port has become an unexpected biodiversity hotspot, with researchers identifying at least eight fish species no longer observed in many of the island’s well-known reefs - Handout

COLOMBO – A coral reef that has taken root in the sheltered waters of Sri Lanka’s China-backed Hambantota Port has become an unexpected biodiversity hotspot, with researchers identifying at least eight fish species no longer observed in many of the island’s well-known reefs.

According to a statement from the Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG), surveys of the port’s internal bay revealed a higher diversity of fish species than other regional sites such as Weligama, Polhena, and Thalaramba. Among the rediscovered species were the Blue Green Chromis (Chromis viridis) and Redfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus), absent in comparable studies from the other locations.

Researchers employed a standardized swim-timed transect method, covering 5-by-20 metre areas at depths of 0.5 to 5 metres, recording fish counts by family and feeding behaviour. The Hambantota site recorded a Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index score of 2.3, higher than Weligama (1.8), Polhena (1.6), and Thalaramba (1.1).

Marine scientist M. F. M. Fairoz of the Ocean University of Sri Lanka, who led the study, noted that many coral habitats around the island are under stress from excessive algae growth caused by fertilizer runoff and the reduction of herbivorous fish due to overfishing. “Algal domination is a serious concern globally, as it can suffocate coral reefs and trigger irreversible ecosystem shifts,” he said, noting, “But at HIP, we’re seeing the opposite, a reversal of that trend, thanks to abundant herbivorous fish species that keep the reef clean, balanced, and productive.”

The study also recorded economically important species such as trevally (paraw) and lobster. Researchers attribute the reef’s growth to minimal human interference, strict pollution controls, the absence of ornamental fish harvesting, and the artificial reef structures provided by the port breakwater. The bay’s open ocean connectivity also ensures healthy water flow, creating a favourable environment for coral and fish populations.

At Hambantota, researchers found that 34% of fish were herbivores, 58% carnivores, and 40% omnivores, a spread that HIPG said supports “a strong, stable food web where energy flows smoothly between species, just like in a healthy natural ecosystem.”

-ENCL

Editor_1
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