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An Olive Ridley turtle up close and personal. Every year, thousands of Olive Ridley turtles congregate in these waters to mate and then nest in a perfectly synchronised arribada.
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The Indian peninsula, bordered by the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and the
Bay of Bengal, boasts of a variety of diverse marine ecosystems. Dense
mangrove forests in the Sunderbans, the world's largest congregations
of nesting sea turtles in Orissa, delicate seagrass beds in Palk Bay,
the enigmatic dugong in the Gulf of Mannar, majestic whale sharks in
the Gulf of Kutch and some of the world's most beautiful coral reefs in
the Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar islands; these are just a few
of the rare treasures to be found along India's 8,000 km long
coastline.
The beauty of the Indian marine ecosystems is matched by their generosity. The ecological wealth of the oceans provides a livelihood to millions of people. Even at a conservative estimate, at least 4 million people in over 4,000 fishing villages along the Indian coastline live directly off the seas. Thousands of others are involved in one way or another - selling the catch, supplying fishing gear, etc.
The vast majority of those in the India fishing industry are small-scale and artisanal fishermen - living simply, fishing modest quantities and trading on a small-scale. However, the growing mechanised and trawl sector is fast making life unliveable for these communities, as more and more trawlers destroy ocean habitats in search of fewer fish.
So well established is our belief that the oceans are an infinite resource, that they have become a metaphor for unlimited, boundless plenty - and this is as true in India as the rest of the world. The reality, however, is that we're using up the resources of the oceans faster than they can be regenerated. Globally, stocks of most major commercial species are showing signs of overexploitation. Although in India they have not over-exploited the ocean to levels as critical as in many Western countries, there is a need to act now, before reaching a state of crisis.
More and better marine reserves - areas that are closed to all extractive uses, such as fishing and mining, as well as disposal activities - are the best, strongest tool, to ensure marine habitat and recourses are protected for future generations. In addition to protecting vital marine habitat, and giving the life there a safe haven, marine reserves also benefit fisheries in surrounding areas, as fish catches increase. For instance, a network of marine reserves in St. Lucia in the Caribbean led to fish catches in surrounding areas increasing by 46-90 percent within five years.
But in India the answer does not lie in building up large, isolated reserves. Most Indian fisherman ply their trade in coastal waters, and most of the vital marine habitat near India is also near the coast. There is a temptation to set aside a few large marine reserves, as the easiest solution. However, this would mean only a small number of fishing communities, on either end of the reserve, would benefit from them - while communities in between might lose out as traditional fisheries areas are placed off limits as part of the reserve.
A better solution lies in creating a network of small coastal reserves, drawn up in consultation with local communities. In this way, more local fishing communities would benefit from the reserves and so have a stake in creating and protecting them.
Magnificence, munificence
The beauty of the Indian marine ecosystems is matched by their generosity. The ecological wealth of the oceans provides a livelihood to millions of people. Even at a conservative estimate, at least 4 million people in over 4,000 fishing villages along the Indian coastline live directly off the seas. Thousands of others are involved in one way or another - selling the catch, supplying fishing gear, etc.
The vast majority of those in the India fishing industry are small-scale and artisanal fishermen - living simply, fishing modest quantities and trading on a small-scale. However, the growing mechanised and trawl sector is fast making life unliveable for these communities, as more and more trawlers destroy ocean habitats in search of fewer fish.
Wealth within measure
So well established is our belief that the oceans are an infinite resource, that they have become a metaphor for unlimited, boundless plenty - and this is as true in India as the rest of the world. The reality, however, is that we're using up the resources of the oceans faster than they can be regenerated. Globally, stocks of most major commercial species are showing signs of overexploitation. Although in India they have not over-exploited the ocean to levels as critical as in many Western countries, there is a need to act now, before reaching a state of crisis.
More and better marine reserves - areas that are closed to all extractive uses, such as fishing and mining, as well as disposal activities - are the best, strongest tool, to ensure marine habitat and recourses are protected for future generations. In addition to protecting vital marine habitat, and giving the life there a safe haven, marine reserves also benefit fisheries in surrounding areas, as fish catches increase. For instance, a network of marine reserves in St. Lucia in the Caribbean led to fish catches in surrounding areas increasing by 46-90 percent within five years.
Small and effective
But in India the answer does not lie in building up large, isolated reserves. Most Indian fisherman ply their trade in coastal waters, and most of the vital marine habitat near India is also near the coast. There is a temptation to set aside a few large marine reserves, as the easiest solution. However, this would mean only a small number of fishing communities, on either end of the reserve, would benefit from them - while communities in between might lose out as traditional fisheries areas are placed off limits as part of the reserve.
A better solution lies in creating a network of small coastal reserves, drawn up in consultation with local communities. In this way, more local fishing communities would benefit from the reserves and so have a stake in creating and protecting them.
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