Our Story
At Blue Resources Trust we aim to promote informed science based decision making to facilitate the sustainable use of marine resources. We believe in promoting education and awareness and encouraging greater participation of local communities in conservation. Our team has extensive experience working in Sri Lanka and internationally, and has built partnerships with numerous national and international organizations. Blue Resources Trust also acts as a platform for scientists and conservationists to expand research and improve marine resource management in Sri Lanka and the greater region.
Our Mission:
Blue Resources Trust (BRT) aims to promote informed science-based decision making to facilitate the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, and to provide a platform for scientists to expand research in the Indian Ocean. BRT also carries out education and awareness projects and encourages the participation of local communities.
Daniel Fernando (Co-Founder and Director)
Daniel is the director of the Fisheries and Policy Programme. His primary interest is to encourage a shift toward sustainable fisheries. In addition to leading several research projects, he has been providing technical support for shark and ray policy at multilateral environmental agreements such as CITES and CMS for over a decade, helping bridge the gap between science and policy. He has served as a ministerial advisor, is currently the Vice Chair to the Sessional Committee of the CMS Scientific Council, Regional Co-Vice Chair of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group for the Indian Ocean, and an MCAF Fellow.
Nishan Perera (Co-Founder and Director)
Nishan is a marine biologist and underwater photographer with an interest in coral reef ecology, fisheries and marine protected area management. He has previously worked with the IUCN and was a member of Project Seahorse.
His current research includes field studies on seahorses, coral reefs and sustainable small-scale fisheries. He is the author of Coral Reefs of Sri Lanka, and has contributed articles and images to the Sri Lankan Airlines magazine Serendib, Explore Sri Lanka, Life Times Magazine, African Diver, Sport Diving Australia and Magazyn Nurkowanie Poland.
Susantha Udagedera (Director)
Susantha has a particular interest in seagrasses, climate change adaptation, and species based ecological studies; all of which provide vital information for the development of national conservation policy.
His childhood ambition was to explore nature in a scientific manner to determine how best to sustainably benefit humanity. This led him to his Bachelor in Environment Conservation Management at the University of Kelaniya, followed by a Master of Environment Management at the University of Colombo.
He has a strong working relationship with Project Seagrass and the World Seagrass Association. Susantha is also a selected expert to evaluate Sri Lankan seagrass for the National Red List and is a member of the IUCN SSC Seagrass Specialist Group.
Akshay Tanna (Director)
Akshay is a SCUBA instructor, sailing instructor and skipper. He has been diving and cruising in South Asia for over a decade and is passionate about the conservation of the marine environment.
Akshay manages field operations, helps coordinate flagship projects, and conducts data analyses for our projects. He is also the skipper of our research boat, safety officer for diving operations, and helps conduct our underwater training programs. A keen mechanic, he also oversees Blue Resources Trust's technical operations including developing underwater sensors and equipment servicing.