National Facilitating Committee for the GEF Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Project (LK8).

Sri Lanka

$97,571

LK8 aims to facilitate the work carried out by all national partners of the Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Project in Sri Lanka. This component will develop capacity among different stakeholders and raise awareness at the national and local levels of the importance of dugong and seagrass conservation and the establishment of marine protected areas.

LK8 will establish a National Facilitating Committee, tasked with carrying out the activities of the workplan. The Committee will consist of all stakeholders including the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR), the Coast Conservation & Coastal Resources Management Department (CC&CRMD), the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG), and all partners of the GEF national Project. LK8 will also conduct training programmes to improve the capacities of management staff at the Department of Wildlife Conservation, CC&CRMD, DFAR and other relevant organisations.

The NFC will work with all of the national project partners to support their activities, and will bring together state representatives, community leaders and business people to discuss the importance of the project and work toward solving administrative or policy hurdles to effective dugong and seagrass conservation.

Deliverables
  1. Establish a National Facilitating Committee to oversee the implementation of the Project in Sri Lanka.
  2. Report on regulatory gaps and share findings with all relevant authorities and stakeholders.
  3. Ensure that at least two companies are promoting the Project in Sri Lanka.
  4. Compile and share Project lessons from all partners and issue regular updates on activities carried out to improve networks.
  5. Convene twelve national meetings.
  6. Establish communication channels to facilitate positive contributions to dugong and seagrass conservation efforts.