If an interesting feasibility study gets general approval, we could have a cross-sectoral institutional mechanism for conservation of coastal and marine biodiversity.

It seeks to strike a balance between conservation of marine and coastal ecosystem, marshy mangroves and protecting the livelihood of local people.

It is a land where herons, turtles, other winged visitors and marine life hold their sway.

While the study has been initiated by Dr M.S. Swaminathan Foundation and supported by the United Nations Development Programme, its principal objective is to tackle the river estuarine system and mangroves in coastal Andhra Pradesh.

The Swaminthan Committee report on integrated management of costal zone is being implemented.

The East Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh is the second largest area of mangroves along India’s East coast. This is at the heart of the study.

The region holds enormous economic significance due to presence of a large number of important production sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, salt pans, oil and gas exploration, factories, tourist spots and ports. The local communities are dependent on the mangroves and marine resources for earning their livelihood. In essence, there is some conflict of interest.

The establishment of these units have impacted the overall ecological integrity and socio-economic well-being of people in the region.

The Global Economic Facility-UNDP and Government of India project, “Mainstreaming Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation into Production Sectors…,” is an endeavour to bring about integrated management of the region. According to findings of the research, there are 28 national statutory laws that are related to marine areas and about 17 international conventions that India has signed on various aspects of ocean management.

Then, there are State laws and the Central enactments each with the objective of addressing some aspect of coastal and marine life; marine laws that divide the marine waters into several zones; international instruments that protect marine habitats and species by creating zones within marine waters.

The effort is now directed at assessing if an integrated cross-sectoral mechanism would be able to address this issue holistically.

Through the Egree Foundation, it is proposed to strike a balance between various interests to protect marine and coastal biodiversity concerns while also looking at various aspects of livelihoods of people. The underlining theme is to see how this could be broadbased, while protecting the precious mangroves.

> rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in

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