Sampath Bank kicks-off ‘A breath to the ocean’ campaign to restore marine life

Lalith Weragoda - Group Chief Human Resource Officer, Sampath Bank PLC, Wathsala Guruge - Regional Manager, Sampath Bank PLC, Senior Professor Sujeewa Amarasena - Vice Chancellor, University of Ruhuna, Professor Terney Pradeep Kumara - University of Ruhuna, together with the Bank’s Corporate Sustainability Team, and other representatives from the Sri Lanka Coast Guard and Diving Officers from Sri Lanka Navy - Southern Naval Command, Department of Wildlife Conservation - Mirissa District Office, Marine Environment Protection Authority, Department of Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources -District Office Mirissa, fishermen and community in the area, Hoteliers in the area, Undergraduates from the University of Ruhuna and International Student Volunteers from AIESEC

Sampath Bank launched the first phase of the coral replanting programme for the protection of marine resources in the waters off Mirissa coast. 

Branded ‘A breath to the ocean,’ the bank invited other environmentally conscious entities to participate in this programme to transplant living corals onto dying corals and thus revive the marine life of Sri Lanka. 

A land-based component of this corporate responsibility programme is a campaign to replant and replenish the mangrove wetlands in the area.

Sampath Bank’s coral restoration project involves underwater coral farming and sending trained scuba divers into the ocean’s depths to transplant the new clusters of coral. 

“Being a responsible enterprise that takes pride in its Sri Lankan roots, Sampath Bank is committed to championing environmental sustainability,” said Nanda Fernando - Managing Director, Sampath Bank PLC. 
“As the world struggles with environmental issues caused by the despoilation of natural resources, business enterprises have partnered with international organizations to prevent or reverse the effects of ecological disasters. 

Sampath Bank is one such enterprise, having made environmental sustainability part of its business plans,” said Lalith Weragoda - Group Chief Human Resource Officer, Sampath Bank. 

The plan going forward includes conducting awareness workshops for the fishing community and for those who pursue tourism-related trades in the locality. 

Also, having demarcated the area for the marine undersea restoration project, there will be regular beach and reef cleanup patrols, and the establishment of reef balls, cement structures and floating buoys. 

Marine biologists will supervise the reintroduction of native species of fish to help restore biodiversity to its natural state. All these efforts will be supplemented by the preparation and publication of awareness materials, and augmented by field training workshops for Sampath Bank staff.

The bank’s current initiative is aligned with two of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs): Goal 13 is Climate Action, to “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.” Goal 14 is Life Below Water, a commitment to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.”

As stakeholders of this project, several related parties have expressed their enthusiasm in contributing towards its success. Some of these stakeholders include, Department of Oceanography and Marine Geology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences & Technology, University of Ruhuna , Sri Lanka Coast Guard and diving officers from Sri Lanka Navy, Department of Wildlife Conservation - Mirissa District Office, Marine Environment Protection Authority - MEPA, Department of Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources - Mirissa District Office, as well as fishermen, hoteliers, and the community in the area.