Professor Sewwandi Jayakody has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Marine Environment Protection Council, which operates under the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA).Â
The official letter of appointment was presented today (22) by Minister of Environment Dammika Patabendi at the Ministry premises.
Professor Jayakody currently serves as a Senior Professor in the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries at Wayamba University of Sri Lanka. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Zoology from the University of Kelaniya, a Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Conservation and Management from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and a PhD in Zoology from the University of Aberdeen, UK.
Her research focuses on coastal ecosystems, the impact of human activities, policy and governance, and the restoration of coastal environmental systems. She also serves as Chairperson of Sri Lanka’s National Mangrove Expert Committee, and is a member of both the National Environmental Council and the National Blue Carbon Task Force. Professor Jayakody has represented Sri Lanka in national delegations to CITES, CBD, and the Commonwealth Blue Charter, and has served as the country’s Ramsar focal point for over a decade.
The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) currently operates under the purview of the Ministry of Environment. The Marine Environment Protection Council was established to continue MEPA’s mandate of preventing, controlling, and managing marine pollution in Sri Lanka. Moving forward, the Council’s recommendations will guide marine environmental protection and management efforts. (Islandnews)
