Sri Lanka is an island identified as pearl of Indian ocean which have coastline of about 1, 585 km with 300 km beaches and sand dunes. The maritime area belonging to Sri Lanka is about three times larger than the land area. For centuries coral reefs have been a valuable resource for the people of Sri Lanka, in particular for the coastal communities. Coral reefs are rich in biodiversity and are important as habitats for flora and fauna for containing coastal erosion and for sustaining the coastal fishery. They are the true coral habitats consisting of live coral as well as calcareous substances, sandstone and rocky habitats. For centuries, reef resources have been utilized for food and building materials. Increased human activities in recent times have begun to degrade the quality of the reefs, particularly the nearshore habitats.

There are three types of coral reefs in Sri Lanka

• Fringing (Hikkaduwa)
• Apron (found on rocky substrates near shore)
• Barrier (Vakalai and Silavathurai)

A total of  68 indigenous coral genera and 183 species have been recorded so far. Several marine areas have been identified as deserving protection, but currently there are only two areas that have been declared as marine sanctuaries.

The Hikkaduwa marine sanctuary is located in the southern province is one of the most densely developed tourism sites in Sri Lanka and encompasses the first national marine sanctuary established in 1979. It is 45 ha in extend, with about 25 ha of corals within and abutting the sanctuary. The Bar Reef, located west of the Kalpitiya Peninsula near Puttalam lagoon, was declared a marine sanctuary in 1992. The total area of the sanctuary is 306.7 km2.

Reefs are being destroyed day by day as a result of human behaviour. Coral form a major component of lime, an important material in Sri Lanka`s construction industry which gathering from coral mining. Coral mining is a major problem here for an island country smaller than most. It harm the reef itself and very life forms it supports. Fishermen mindlessly blowing corals with dynamite to catch their prey. They think that corals are rocks. But, It depends on algae, which lives inside it and in a close symbiotic relationship provides most of its food and energy. The marine ornamental fishing industry in Sri Lanka has expanded rapidly over the last 20 years or so. There are between 200-300 marine species of fish and invertebrates that are being exported in the aquarium trade. Current level of ornamental fish collection for sale and export is widely considered to be unsustainable. Due to the use of moxy-nets for collection of reef fish for the aquarium trade, the coral reefs are damaged. The pollution is the biggest danger to the coral reefs. The fresh water canals that empty in to the reef area are polluted by coconut –husk retting and effluents from domestic sources and unregistered tourist establishments. In addition, various hotels located within the coastal areas continue to discharge effluents in to the sea. Some of the effluents released by the hotels are toxic to marine life.

Therefore, I believe there should be a systematic approach to prevent the huge destruction in this beautiful living creature. Suitable legal and regulatory pressure is essential to mitigate the coral mining and other pollution. Still people in the coastal area don?t have the awareness on what are the corals, it?s benefits and it?s value. Therefore, it?s essential to aware them on the issues relating to corals. If not the beauty and the living things under the water will be vanished in few years. It will affect to the whole environment badly.