Ashoke Weerakoon
Ashoke Weerakoon, also known as W. R. W. M. A. P. Weerakoon, is a Sri Lankan interdisciplinary research scientist working in the fields of oceanography, marine sciences, environmental sciences, fisheries, environmental economics, and marine climate change. He is affiliated with the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency of Sri Lanka (NARA), where he contributes to applied and policy-relevant research on marine pollution, coastal ecosystems, fisheries sustainability, and socio-environmental systems. His work combines natural sciences and socioeconomic analysis and includes national-level research and international scientific collaboration.
Early life and education
Ashoke Weerakoon was born in Kandy, Sri Lanka. He received his primary and secondary education at Dharmaraja College in Kandy, Sri Lanka, a premier educational institution known for high academic standards and quality of education.[1]
He completed his undergraduate studies in Agricultural Science and later obtained postgraduate qualifications in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, and Business Administration. His further higher studies are related to climate change, sustainability, and global development, with academic training emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches integrating environmental sciences, marine systems, and socio-economic analysis.
Career
Ashoke Weerakoon serves as an interdisciplinary research scientist at the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency of Sri Lanka (NARA), a premier state research institution in Sri Lanka.[2] His professional work involves the design, planning, and execution of interdisciplinary research addressing marine ecosystems, fisheries resources, marine pollution, and environmental management. His research contributes to national scientific assessments and supports evidence-based policy and management decisions.
In addition to his governmental research role, Weerakoon has been involved in international and non-governmental research initiatives. He has volunteered with United Nations-related programs since 2008 and has collaborated with institutions including the Institute of Marine Research in Norway, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations through the EAF Nansen Programme, and universities and research centers in Europe and Australia.[3]
Research and scientific contributions
Weerakoon's research spans oceanography, marine pollution, fisheries science, environmental economics, and climate-related environmental change, with a strong emphasis on applied and interdisciplinary research.
Marine pollution and microplastics
He has contributed to research on microplastic pollution in Sri Lankan marine waters through national and international oceanographic surveys, including research conducted aboard the research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen. These studies contributed to the first island-wide baseline assessments of microplastic abundance around Sri Lanka.[4]
Following the 2021 X Press Pearl maritime disaster, Weerakoon contributed to scientific investigations examining the spatio-temporal dispersion of plastic pellets along the Sri Lankan coastline and the formation of secondary microplastics under extreme chemical and fire-related conditions.
Fisheries and marine ecosystems
Weerakoon has conducted research on Abandoned, Lost, or otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear and its impacts on marine fauna and fisheries, assessing both ecological effects and socio-economic consequences for coastal fishing communities. He has also contributed to marine ecosystem assessments in the Bay of Bengal through international collaborations under the EAF Nansen Programme.[5]
Environmental economics and sustainable development
One of Weerakoon's early research contributions focused on environmental economics and ecotourism at the Hurulu Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka. Using the Contingent Valuation Method, he assessed the willingness to pay of local and foreign visitors for conservation initiatives and improved ecotourism facilities, providing a scientific basis for sustainable financing mechanisms for protected areas.
Indigenous knowledge and agriculture
Weerakoon has conducted research on Indigenous knowledge among farming communities in Sri Lanka. His findings highlighted the decline of traditional agricultural knowledge systems and emphasized the need for policy-level interventions to integrate indigenous knowledge into modern agricultural research and training.
Research interests
His research interests include oceanography and marine climate variability, marine and coastal climate change impacts, climate information services for marine sectors, fisheries and coastal adaptation to climate change, and interdisciplinary marine and environmental research.
International collaboration and professional roles
Weerakoon is a team member of Global Progress for Development, a Sweden-based organization working at the intersection of environment and global development. He regularly collaborates with international scientific institutions and programs related to marine ecosystem assessments, fisheries research, and climate-related environmental studies in the Indian Ocean region.
Publications
Weerakoon is an author and co-author of peer-reviewed scientific articles published in international journals including Marine Pollution Bulletin, Frontiers in Microbiology, and journals published by Taylor and Francis.[6] His publications address marine pollution, microplastics, fisheries impacts, microbial processes in ocean systems, and environmental change.
External profiles
- ResearchGate profile of W R W M A P Weerakoon
- Google Scholar citation profile
- AD Scientific Index scientist profile
- FAO Open Knowledge Repository
- Research expert listings
- National news coverage in Sri Lankan media
References
- ↑ "Dharmaraja College Kandy". Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ "ResearchGate profile of W R W M A P Weerakoon". Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ "Global Progress for Development team profile". Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ Jayathilaka, R M R M; Weerakoon, W R W M A P (2022). "Spatio temporal variation of plastic pellets dispersion in the coastline of Sri Lanka following the X Press Pearl incident". Marine Pollution Bulletin. 184: 114145. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114145. PMID 36152496 Check
|pmid=value (help). - ↑ "FAO EAF Nansen Programme". Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ Ye, W; Ma, X; Liu, C; Ye, R; Priyadarshani, W N C; Jayathilake, R; Weerakoon, A (2023). "Vertical variation of bacterial production and potential role in oxygen loss in the southern Bay of Bengal". Frontiers in Microbiology. 14. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2023.1250575. PMID 38029132 Check
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