Thursday Jun 18, 2026
Thursday Jun 18, 2026
Thursday, 18 June 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
NARA Principal Scientist and Marine Biological Resources Division Head
Dr. Prabath Jayasinghe
Nations Trust WNPS monthly lecture on “Into the Blue Unknown: Unveiling the Hidden Life of Sri Lanka’s Ocean” will be held today at 6.00 p.m. at Jasmine Hall, BMICH and will be delivered by NARA Principal Scientist and Marine Biological Resources Division Head Dr. Prabath Jayasinghe.
The theme of this month’s lecture has coincided with the journey of the Research Vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen around Sri Lanka. Scientific voyages around Sri Lanka are as old as the island’s recorded history and have long shaped our understanding of marine biodiversity and the bathymetry of the seas that surround the country.
From the Avondster and the Hercules during the Dutch period to HMS Challenger and RIMS Investigator during the British era, each vessel that sailed these waters sought to uncover more about the ocean’s boundaries and countless bounties. Today, that same enduring quest continues with far greater urgency.
Yet much of the ocean surrounding Sri Lanka remains largely unexplored. The first systematic scientific surveys on the Sri Lankan waters were conducted between 1978 and 1980, providing the foundational ocean data on which decades of fisheries planning and marine policy have relied. A second chapter opened in 2018 when the RV Dr. Fridtjof Nansen returned to survey the continental shelf and upper slope in collaboration with Sri Lankan institutions. The 2026 mission has now delivered the most comprehensive scientific survey ever undertaken in Sri Lankan waters under the Nansen Program.
These expeditions have ventured into little-known waters, revealing new insights into marine ecosystems, ocean processes, marine biodiversity, fisheries resources and the health of the Indian Ocean. It is a reminder that understanding this ocean is not merely a scientific pursuit but is essential to the food security and livelihoods of the millions of Sri Lankans who depend on the sea every day.
At this month’s Wildlife and Nature Protection Society lecture, audiences are invited to hear a rare, first-hand account of this landmark voyage. Drawing on findings from a comprehensive survey conducted across Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone, the presentation will bring to life discoveries of hidden marine species, the remarkable technologies used to unveil the secrets of our seas, and what these findings mean for conservation, fisheries management and the long-term stewardship of the ocean resources.
The speaker Dr. Prabath Jayasinghe, is the Principal Scientist and Head of the Marine Biological Resources Division at NARA. With over 25 years of research experience, he has led major national and international marine survey programs, represented Sri Lanka at the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission Scientific Committee, coordinated the Sri Lanka–Norway Bilateral Fisheries Project, and authored more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific publications. The lecture is supported by Nations Trust Bank and is open to all.
