One fifth of all animal protein consumed by humans comes from the sea.
Coastal tourism is a mainstay of the country's economy.
The tourism economy of Hikkaduwa is almost entirely dependent on the quality of the beach and coral reef along its five-kilometer beach front. The coastal environment is increasingly degraded from development's impacts. Poor environmental planning, inadequate law enforcement, and lack of consideration of sociocultural issues are the primary underlying causes. The most important threat to the area is the unregulated operations of a large number of glass-bottomed boats. These vessels hit the corals, anchors are dropped, and tourists stand and walk on the reefs.