Centrally Sponsored Scheme on

Conservation and Management of

Mangroves and Coral Reefs

Dr. Amita Prasad

Addl. Secretary

Dr. J R Bhatt

Advisor

Scientist B

What are Mangroves? • Survive salinity, tidal regime, strong wind velocity, high

temperature and muddy anaerobic soil

• Also known as ‘Tidal Forests’, ‘Coastal Woodlands’,

‘Walking Forest in the Sea’, ‘Root of the Sea’ and

‘Oceanic Rain Forests’.

• As ecosystems, they are symbiotic links between land

and sea.

Why bother about Mangroves?

• Support coastal biodiversity, fishery resources and fisher livelihoods

• Support globally endangered species ranging from plankton to

invertebrates; amphibians and reptiles to birds and mammals

• Removing pollutants such as carbon and heavy metals

• Providing forest products such as fuel-wood, fodder, and honey

• Source of valuable genes

• Annual economic value is US$ 9990/- per hectare

Why bother about Mangroves?

• Tsunami and cyclone mitigating effect of mangroves &

other coastal vegetation scientifically proven (Saudamini Das (2007. Mangroves- A natural defence against cyclones: An

investigation from Orissa, India. Sandee Policy Brief 24-07: 1-4.).

• Human death and property loss were less behind

mangroves & sand dune vegetation (Kathiresan & Rajendran, 2005 Estua. Coastal & Shelf Sci.65: 601-606)

• Mangroves also enhance fisheries and forestry

production. These combined benefits are not expected

with concrete coastal protection structure

(Danielsen et al., 2005 Science, 310: 643)

Why bother about Mangroves?

• Research Findings in the last thirty years

• herbal tea from mangroves,

• anticancer compounds

• antioxidants

• in vitro antiviral activity against human and animal

pathogenic viruses like HIV, New castle disease

virus, and hepatitis B virus

• antidiabetic activity, comparable to commercial

drugs

• Hypolipidemic anti-cholesterol activity

• mosquito repellent and larvicidal effects

• stimulation of hair growth

What are Coral Reefs?

• Corals reefs are the skeletons of stony coral polyps cemented together.

• Symbiotic relationship between Zooxanthellae, a photosynthetic alga and polyps.

• Coral reefs form the most dynamic ecosystem, providing shelter and nourishment to marine flora and fauna.

Why bother about Coral Reefs?

• Protect shorelines from big waves

by absorbing wave energy

• Provide a safe place for fish to

spawn (release eggs into the

water)

• Provide habitats for a large variety

of organisms

• Provide food (fish) and livelihoods

• Many anti-cancer drugs and

painkillers.

• Help in the carbon cycle.

Total reef area in India – 3062. sq.km (S.A.C.,2010)

Reef Areas in India

There are 4 major reef areas in India

• Gulf of Mannar

• Gulf of Kachchh

• A & N Islands

• Lakshadweep

Islands

CSS on Mangroves and Coral

Reefs

• CS Scheme on Conservation and Management

of Mangroves & Coral Reefs initiated in 1987

• 100% Central Assistance to the Coastal

States/UTs in 80:20 ratio for Core and Ancillary

activities for implementation of the their

approved Management Action Plans.

• 38 Mangroves & 4 Coral Reef areas identified as

priority conservation areas so far.

Impact assessment &

evaluation

Community

participation

Staff training and skills

Shelter belt development

Protection & Monitoring

Restoration & regeneration

Biodiversity

conservation

Sustainable resource

development

Alternate &

supplementary

livelihood

Desilting

Environment Education & awareness

Weed & pollution control

Plantation

Components of Management

Action Plan

Physical performance

S.

No.

State/UT

Assessment Year (Area in sq. km.)

1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2009 2011 2013 2015

1 Andhra

Pradesh

495 405 399 378 383 383 397 333 329 354 353 352 352 367

2 Goa 0 3 3 3 3 5 5 5 16 16 17 22 22 26

3 Gujarat 427 412 397 419 689 901 1031 911 916 991 1,046 1058 1103 1107

4 Karnataka 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3

5 Kerala 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 5 5 6 6 9

6 Maharashtra 140 114 113 155 155 124 108 118 158 186 186 186 186 222

7 Orissa 199 192 195 195 195 211 215 219 203 217 221 222 213 231

8 Tamil Nadu 23 47 47 21 21 21 21 23 35 36 39 39 39 47

9 West Bengal 2076 2109 2119 2119 2119 2123 2125 2081 2120 2136 2152 2155 2097 2106

10 A&N Islands 686 973 971 966 966 966 966 789 658 635 615 617 604 617

11 Daman& Diu 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1.56 1.63 3

12 Puducherry 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2

Total 4046 4255 4244 4256 4533 4737 4871 4482 4448 4581 4639 4663 4628 4740

Mangrove forests: disappearing by 0.7% in world

but increasing by 1.2% in India!

India had a mangrove cover of about 6,000 sq. km during 1960s, and reduced to 4,046 sq.km in 1987

Mangrove cover started recovering from then on and now stands at 4740 sq.km.

+

Budgetary details of the Scheme:

An amount of Rs. 50.00 crore @Rs.10.00 crore per annum during XII

Plan period.

Approx. an amount of Rs. 26.50 crore has been released during four

years of the XII Plan period.

Items BE RE Expenditure

X Plan Period 35.50 35.50 35.50

XI Plan Period 35.50 35.50 36.25

XII Plan Period 50.00 26.50 From 2012 -13 to 2015-16

26.50

Rs. 18.00 crore has been allocated for the Scheme during 2016-17.

Knowledge Products

Our rich resource base

Issues/Challenges

• Life saving role and need for

active afforestration

• Low budgetary allocation

• Poor Awareness among Coastal

States/UTs

• Need for Quality planting

materials and

• Need for targeted site specific

research

• Mainstreaming coastal and

marine biodiversity in the syllabus

of IFS and State Forest

Department Services.

Issues/Challenges

• Different data sets – SAC, FSI, NRSA,

IIRS, Universities, Research Institutes,

Forest Departments

• Mangrove genetic Paradise in world –

Bhitarkanika - Kalibhanjdia

• Climate Change and Mangroves –

Salinity tolerance genes for rice,

tomatoes etc.; Carbon sequestration 50

time more

• Private sector involvement – Shell,

Hajira, Tata Chemicals, Godrej etc.

• New models of JMM

Way Forward

• Participatory approach deserves much more attention with

peoples’ participation especially youth, among the three

approaches (promotion, regulatory and participatory), .

• Increasing the number of mangrove areas brought under

Management Action Plan in all States/UTs

• Restoration of mangrove ecosystem services in vulnerable

areas

• Encouraging basic & applied research on mangroves