Protection of habitat of

Corals & Mangrove

Course No. FRM 603

Conservation and Management of Exploited Fisheries Resources

Presented to

Kumar Naik A.S.

Assistant Professor

Introduction

• Marine ecosystems are thelargest of Earth's, aquaticecosystems.

• Marine ecosystems coverapproximately 71% of theEarth's surface and containapproximately 97% of theplanet's water.

Yet another way to classify the ocean

Photic zone – light is

sufficient for photosynthesis

– to 100 (or 200 m)

Dysphotic zone – light is too

weak for photosynthesis

– twilight zone

– < 5% sunlight

Aphotic zone – no light

How physical and chemical

properties of water affect life in the

sea ?

FEATURES

TEMPERATURE

WATER CONDITIONS

DEPTH

LIGHT

TURBIDITY AND

COLOUR

DISSOLVED OXYGEN

CARBON DIOXIDE

pH

HARDNESS

ALKALINITY

CONDUCTIVITY/SALINITY

NUTRIENT LEVELS

SALINITY

PERSSURE

CURRENTS

UPWELLING

5

Salinity• Salinity is measured:

– Refractometer

Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% (35 g/L).

How Salinity Affects Marine Organisms

• Most marine animals are adapted to a narrow salinity range

• Changes is salinity affect organisms through osmosis

• Hypero-smotic

solution - water will

flow into it across a

semi-permeable

membrane

• Hypoo-smotic

solution - water will

leave the solution

Dissolved Gases

• Dissolved Gases

– For living things the three most important dissolved gasses are oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2)

– The amount of a given gas that can dissolve decreases with an increase in temperature

– The amount of oxygen in a body of water depends on:

• Mixing with the atmosphere

• Respiration

• Photosynthesis

Sunlight + 6H20 + 6CO2 C6H12O6 (Glucose) + 6O2

8

Light

• Light is crucial for photosynthesis

and is strongest in the surface

waters

– UV light can be damaging to the

proteins and DNA of many surface

organisms

Turbidity and Light Penetration

• Turbidity

– The amount of solid particles suspended in the water column

• Important since plants and algae need light for photosynthesis

– Increase turbidity can decrease the amount of light which

effectively penetrates

• Large concentrations of phytoplankton can decrease light penetration

Pollution

Source: CMFRI, 2010-11

CORAL REEFS

Introduction to Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are underwater

structures made from calcium

carbonate secreted by corals.

Most coral reefs are built from stony corals,

and are formed by polyps that live together

in groups.

Corals- ANIMAL or PLANT?

Coral is an ANIMAL!

• Coral is actually an animal.

• They live attached to the sea floor.

• They are the builders of the reef!

• A single coral animal is called a coral

polyp.

• The coral polyps live together in colonies.

The coral polyps live

inside here

What do they eat?

• To get energy to build the coral reef the corals need to eat.

• The polyps use their tentacles to catch tiny animals that float in the water called

zooplankton.

• But corals get MOST of their food from marine plants that actually live inside the

coral!

A coral

polyp

What do they eat?

• A microscopic type of algae called

zooxanthellae actually live inside corals,

just under their skin.

• Corals are solar-powered just like trees

on land. The algae that live inside the

coral

A coral polyp

Zooxanthellae

Coral polyp

Coral colony

Corals

Coral Reef

• The Great Barrier Reef is the largest

system in the world and can be seen from

outer space.

•Corals produce a hard skeleton that forms

the actual structure of the reef.

•Coral reefs have the second highest

biodiversity after rainforests.

•Coral reefs worldwide cover an area of

284,300 square km, around 1% of the

total area of the world’s oceans.

Interesting Coral Reef Facts

Why are coral reefs important?• Habitat: They are home to 33%

of all known fish species.

•Nursery: And a nursery ground

for over 25% of all marine species.

Photo by J. RandallPhoto by Dee Wescott

Photo by MacGillivray Freeman Films

Why are coral reefs important?

•Income: they provide millions of

dollars of income annually for people

living by coral reefs.

•Medical Research: coral reefs have the

potential to be used as medical cures to

treat cancer, heart disease, HIV and

arthritis among others.

• Protection: they protect 20% of the

world’s coast from wave erosion.

• Food: they are a food source for

millions of people.

• Tourism: coral reefs attract

tourists from all over the world.

What is a healthy environment for

coral reefs?

• Sunlight

• A certain salinity

• Low nutrient, clear water

• Water temperature 18-29 ºC

• Water circulation

Photo by MacGillivray Freeman Films

What are the man-made threats to coral

reefs?

• Global warming leading to coral

bleaching.

• Runoff of chemicals and nutrients

from land

• Sedimentation.

• Rubbish including marine debris

• Overfishing

• Physical damage from tourists and

fishermen

• Pollution from untreated sewage

and oil.

An example of coral bleaching.

Coral Reefs: Imp...

• Among the most diverse ecosystems in the world - the "Rainforests

of the Seas".

• It is estimated that one-third of all the world's fish species depend

on coral for their existence.

• Providing important services to mankind including fisheries,

recreation and tourism.

• Act as sensitive indicators of water quality.

• Considered ‘medicine chests’ of the future.

• Scientists believe that their organisms could well hold the key to

cures for cancer, and coral skeletons are already being used as

bone substitutes in reconstructive bone surgery.

Some species of coral can live for over 4,000 years — longerthan any other animal that lives in the ocean,

A study has found.

Threats

Natural stresses

· Storms, waves, cyclones, tsunamic occurrences.

Biotic Stresses

· Sedimentation

· Chemical and Oil Pollution

· Bleaching

· Coral Diseases

· Destructive fishing practices like blast fishing

and trap fishing.

Regulatory Measures

• Legislative/Regulatory Instruments

-The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 : All Reef-building, Fire and Sea Fan Corals put in Schedule-I of the Act (Prohibited from exploitation)

-Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 : Section 5 of the Act delegates powers to State Governments, and UTs for taking punitive action.

-Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991 :

Management actions are activities to promote use and that protect and conserve natural

resources.

Cont..

-Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991 : Places corals, coralreefs, and marine parks in Coastal Regulation Zone-I(i),

i.e, ecologically sensitive, and important areas.

Constitutes National Coastal Zone Management Authority(NCZMA) at the Centre, and 13 CZMAs at States/UnionTerritories.

- Formulation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plans(ICZMP) by Coastal States.

Cont..

-All major projects within coastal zone require CRZ clearanceon the same lines as environmental clearance.

-Active judicial system –Supreme Court’s Order in April, 1996 led to formulation of

ICZMPs.

• Establishment of Marine National Parks (MNPs)- Six MNPs viz. Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kutch, Bhitarkanika,Mahatma Gandhi Wandoor National Park, Rani Jhansi MNP,and Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary declared as MNPs, thelargest being the Gulf of Mannar having 10,500 sq. kms.

Promotional Measures

The promotional measures comprise –

- Central Government assistance for bio-physical, and socio-economic survey and monitoring, surveillance, alternativelivelihoods, prevention of pollution, restoration, and spread ofeducation, and awareness.

- Infrastructure creation e.g. National Coral Reef ResearchStation, and Lakshadweep Coral Reef Monitoring Network.

- Capacity Building viz. imparting training in snorkeling, andSCUBA-diving; about 60 personnel given training.

- Support given for Research – the Centre of Advanced Study inMarine Biology, Annamalai University, Centre and Marine andCoastal Studies, Madurai Kamaraj University, National Institute ofOceanography; Goa, Wildlife Institute of India, among variousInstitutions engaged in coral reef research.

Regional and Inter-National Ties

India is a signatory to various Conventions / Agreements :

- Convention on Bio-diversity and its Bio-safety Protocol.

- Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species(CITES)

- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol.

- Jakarta mandate on Coastal and Marine Biodiversity.

Designation of Ministry of Environment &

Forests as National Focal Point

- Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN)

- International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)

- Coral Reef Degradation in Indian Ocean (CORDIO)

- United Nations Environment Programme on Conservation, andManagement of Coral Reefs.

- Regional Seas Programme.

- SACEP

MANGROVES

INTRODUCTION

What is a mangrove?

Mangroves are a community of tropical trees that have adapted

to a salt-water environment. Mangroves play a critical role as

part of the interdependent coral reef ecosystem.

• This type of ecosystem is found exclusively in tropical and

subtropical regions of the planet.

Mangroves

Mangroves are evergreen trees and grow up to a height of 5 meters, community of trees and shrubs,

Not a natural taxonomic grop

• 54 species total world-wide

• 16 families.

20 genera

Total area under mangrove:43.7 mh

74% of the game fish and 90% of the commercially valuable sea life in south florida depend on mangroves

Mangrove Location

Mangroves are generally found along the coastlines of tropical and sub tropical regions.

Usually between 250 N and 250 latitude S

Indian mangroves 0.7mha , 2.66%of world mangroves.

Sunder bans: 0.4 million hectare

Gujrat:689 km2

Lakshadweep islands-2 mangrove areas of 1 hectare each.

James A. Danoff-Burg,

Columbia University,

jd363@columbia.edu

Importance of Mangroves

• Acts as kidneys for the coastal waters

• Important nursery grounds for finfishes and shellfishes

• Renewable resource of fuel

• Offers protection against coastal erosion

• Play important role in livelihood of Coastal communities

• Mangrove foliage as feed for domestic animals

• Provide opportunities for Tourism, Education and Scientific Study

FACTORS OF MANGROVE DEGRADATION

Population expansion

Lack of government attention and over all awareness

Regulation

Inefficient Reforestation techniques

Inadequate manpower and logistics

Large hurricanes.

Shore line development.

Illegal dumping of wastes.

Oil and other hazardous chemical pollution.

Threats

• Large scale clearing: to accommodate human population,agriculture and aquaculture.

• This has led to forest fragmentation, concomitant loss ofanimals and destabilization of mangrove-dominant shorelines.

• Small scale harvesting and grazing: for timber, fuel wood,fodder and impact of individuals and their livestock, whomake forays into the forests?

• Industrial threats: pollution due to effluents, mining,industrial development, oil spills.

CONVERSION AND DEGRADATION OF MANGROVES

• 20%of worlds mangroves lost since 1980’s(FAO)

• 38% global mangrove deforestation is linked with shrimp farm

• Like tropical rain forest, mangroves are being degraded .

• Uses such as fish ponds, salt beds, rice fields, urbanization, housing estates,

human settlement (transmigration), roads , mining and similar uses .

Mangrove nursery at Mangalore, Source: CMFRI 2011

India (Govt of India; 1987)

• 6740 sq km

• WB- 1618 sq km

• Guj- 1166 sq km

• Goa 5 sq km

• Karnataka 19 sq km

India (Nayak 1993)

• 4474 sq km

• WB- 4200 sq km

• Guj- 260 sq km

• Goa 200 sq km

• Karnataka 60 sq km

India (Kathiresen, 1998)

• 4827 sq km

• WB- 2123 sq km

• Guj- 991 sq km

• Goa 5 sq km

• Karnataka 3 sq km

1166

6740

4200

260 60 330

4474

2123991 3 124

4827

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

WB Gujrat Karnataka MH Total

Km sq

1987

1993

1998

Policy• Environmental Protection Act, 1986

• National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on

Environment and Development (1992)

• Action Plan of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (1995)

• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification (1991)

• Scheme on Conservation and Management of Mangroves and

Coral Reefs (1986)

• Ramsar convention in1971

Management

Reef & Mangrove Appeal

• The Reef & Mangrove appeal was launched in responseto the 2004 - tsunami

• Project aim

• The Reef & Mangrove appeal aims to raise funds for coral reef and mangrove protection.

• It is important to protect both mangroves and coral reefs as they are incredibly diverse but threatened ecosystems with important roles in protecting the coasts against the forces of the sea.

Limitations of management

• Lack of knowledge of mangrove ecosystems,

• Status and linkages to other ecosystems

• A comprehensive information database of mangrovebiodiversity in each country is necessary to monitor thestatus of mangrove biological diversity.

• Realise its economic potential and areas of application.

Thank You