Coast Conservation work was handled by various departments at various times prior to 1963. The realization of the government that a comprehensive approach to coastal resources management was required, led to establishment of a coast protection unit in the Colombo Port Commission in 1963. In 1978 Coast Conservation Division was established in the Ministry of Fisheries. This division was upgraded to a department, the Coast Conservation Department in 1984.

In 1981, parliament enacted the Coast Conservation Act — Act No. 57 of 1981. Amendments to this, Act was passed in 1988 with the Coast Conservation (Amendments) No. 64 of 1988. The Coast Conservation Act required to have a survey made of the Coastal Zone and on the basis of the survey to prepare a comprehensive National Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP). CZMP prepared by the department was adopted by the government and implemented as Coastal Zone Management Plan 1990. A Resource Management strategy for Sri Lanka’s coastal region. “Coastal 2000 “was prepared in1992 which provided the direction for Coastal Resources Management of Sri Lanka. The second revised Coastal Zone Management Plan was prepared in 1997 and it is being implemented. The third revision of the National Coastal Zone Management is in progress and will be implemented in year 2004.