“Are coastal zone management and economic development complementary in Sri Lanka” filled a growing need in Sri Lanka to air the increasing controversy between proponents of coastal development and of conservation. The controversy centers around deciding what the limits to development are and what are the essential guidelines required for protecting coastal environments. Since these issues are not easily resolved and are often a matter of opinion, the resulting discussions did not end with definitive answers. Nevertheless, the seminar certainly achieved its objective by pinpointing some of the problem areas with a vision for practical solutions.