Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Protected Areas in India: Challenges and Way Forward

Abstract

India has a vast coastline of 7,517 km, of which, 5,423 km belong to Peninsular India and 2,094 km to the Andaman, Nicobar, and Lakshadweep Islands, and with an EEZ of 2.02 million km². This coastline also supports a huge human population, which is dependent on the rich coastal and marine resources. Despite the tremendous ecological and economic importance and the existence of a policy and regulatory framework, India’s coastal and marine ecosystems are under threat. Numerous direct and indirect pressures arising from different types of economic development and associated activities are having adverse impacts on coastal and marine biodiversity across the country. Marine protected areas (MPAs) network in India has been used as a tool to manage natural marine resources for biodiversity conservation and for the well-being of people dependent on. In India, protected areas (PAs) in whole or in part that falls within swath of 500 m from the high tide line and to marine environment are included in the MPAs Network. Based on this definition, there are 18 MPAs present in the Peninsular India and more than 100 MPAs in its Islands. Of the 18 MPAs in the peninsula, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, Sundarbans National Park, Gulf of Kutch National Park, Bhitrakanika National Park, Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, and Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary have unique marine biodiversity and provide a range of services to local communities. These 18 MPAs cover an area of about 6,158 km², which is 3.85 % of total area covered under the entire Protected Area Network of India or less than 0.2 % of total land areas of India. However, a total of 4.97 % of coastal zone of peninsular India has already been included in the existing MPAs which is almost 50 % of Aichi Biodiversity Target No. 11. Total area of Andaman and Nicobar Island is 4,947 km², of which 1,510 km² are protected under the provision of India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. There are 105 PAs in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, of these about 100 are MPAs. Although, these MPAs cover more than 30 % of terrestrial areas of islands but still protect more than 40 % of available coastal habitats of islands. The Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and Rani Jhansi Marine National Park are important MPAs here. In Lakshadweep group of islands, Pitti Island (0.01 km²) is the only island having the status as MPA.