ISSN 0971-8656
Seshaiyana
ANNAMALAI UNIVERSITY
Quarterly newsletter of ENVIS on
Indian estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs and lagoons
Sponsored by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India
Volume 23
Issue 2
Second quarter (July-Sep.), 2015
Soft coral belonging to family Nephtheidae
ENVIS CENTRE
CENTRE OF ADVANCED STUDY IN MARINE BIOLOGY
FACULTY OF MARINE SCIENCES
ANNAMALAI UNIVERSITY
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: <http://casmbenvis.nic.in>
Seshaiyana
Quarterly newsletter of ENVIS on Indian estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs and lagoons
Volume 23
Issue 2
Editors
Prof. K. Kathiresan
(Dean, Director & ENVIS In-Charge)
Prof. S. Ajmal Khan
Prof. P.S. Lyla
ENVIS Team
Dr. S. Manokaran: Research Officer
Mrs. L. Vijayalakshmi: Assistant Programmer
Mr. B. Senthilkumar: Information Assistant
Mr. A. Subramanian: Reprography Assistant
Mr. R. Nagarajan: Office Assistant
Faculty Team
Prof. N. Veerappan
Prof. M. Srinivasan
Prof. A. Shanmugam
Dr. P. Sampathkumar, Associate Professor
Dr. P. Anantharaman, Associate Professor
Dr. G. Ananthan, Assistant Professor
Dr. K. Sivakumar, Assistant Professor
Sponsored by
Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change
Government of India, New Delhi
Disclaimer
Authors are solely responsible for the scientific
facts and copyright permissions if they have
reproduced materials or quoted lines from
other sources. They are also responsible for the
publication of the same in the past or in the
future.
Dear Readers,
Second quarter (July-Sep.), 2015
ISSN 0971-8656
Instructions to Authors
We welcome research and popular articles, notes, news, snippets and
cartoons or any scientific information on our core subjects—estuaries,
mangroves, coral reefs and lagoons in and around Indian waters.
The articles should not exceed five typed pages in double space.
Figures should be clear for good reproduction.
References should be limited and cited in the text by name and year. Council
of Science Editors Style may be referred to for listing references at the end.
E-mail your articles in MS Word 2003 or 2007 to:
[email protected]
or
send both the hard and soft copies to:
ENVIS In-Charge
Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology
Faculty of Marine Sciences
Parangipettai - 608 502
Tamil Nadu, India
We invite comments, suggestions and constructive criticism on Seshaiyana
from the authors and readers.
CONTENTS
Question raised in Lok Sabha on conservation and
management of mangroves
ZSI monitoring impact of climate change on Sundarban biota
A mission for coastal resource conservation
Occurrence of Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) in
Parangipettai coastal area
Eco-sensitive zone tag for Bhitarkanika villages
Developing El Niño could be the strongest on record
Travelling fish market in Pulicat lagoon
Sustainability: do not waste bycatch
Rising to the challenge of Whale shark conservation
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back page
Editor’s Desk
This issue is packed with good information on the coastal biodiversity of India. Sundarban mangroves is a UNESCO World
Heritage site and has more than a hundred islands. The first article reports the impact of climate change on flora and fauna of the
mangroves. It has extensive mangrove areas harbouring endangered species such as Royal Bengal Tiger and Ganges and Irawadi
dolphins. The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and Botanical Survey of India (BSI) which carried out this study set up 25 plots to
monitor the impact. Besides the above there are three more articles on the conservation of mangroves in India. The second article
which is an outcome of a query raised in the Lok Sabha of India regarding the conservation and management of mangroves, deals with
scheme of conservation and management of mangroves and implementation of the management action plan in all the states and
Union Territories. The other two articles deal with the conservation of mangroves in Sorlagondi, Andhra Pradesh and Bhitarkanika,
Odisha. The next article brings to our attention the occurrence of Indian Peafowl in the coastal area of Parangipettai where an
artificially developed mangrove forest, aquaculture farms and salt pans are having rich food resources such as fishes, crabs, insects
and molluscs besides invertebrates present in the sediments for this wading bird. The sixth article presses the alarm bell regarding the
consequences of El Niño in the Pacific and Indian Ocean countries. It also points out its fall out in India during the monsoon season.
The seventh article informs us about the unique travelling fish market operating in the Pulicat lagoon. Here fishes are sold fresh. The
last article focusing on the sustainability of bycacth resources explains the opportunities existing in the utilization of the resources
through way of preparation of calcium carbonate, chitin and protein products for use in pharmaceutical, chemical and fertilizer
industries.
We request all the readers to contribute popular articles to Seshaiyana (in the theme area of coastal and marine
biodiversity). We invite your comments and valuable feedbacks for improving the contents of the newsletter.
Editors
Question Raised in Lok Sabha on
Conservation and Management
of Mangroves
A question was raised in Lok Sabha on
conservation and management of mangroves
Artificially developed mangroves
on 28/07/2015. The Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change provided the
following answer. The ministry has a
Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for
C o n s e r va t i o n a n d M a n a g e m e n t o f
Mangroves of India. Under the Scheme, the
Ministry provides 100% Central Assistance to
coastal States/Union Territories for 'Core
Activities' and 'Ancillary Activities' in the
ratio of 80:20. The ministry also requests
forest departments for implementation of the
Management Action Plans (MAPs). The
components of the MAPs comprise of such
activities as Survey and Demarcation,
Afforestation and Restoration of Mangroves,
Alternate and Supplementary Livelihoods,
Protection Measures, Education and Awareness
etc. On a nation-wide basis, 38 sites in all the coastal States / Union Territories have been identified as
appropriate for planting mangroves besides their conservation and management. The ministry added that the
progress of the scheme was quite satisfactory.
Source: http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/415602/question-raised-in-lok-sabha-onconservation-and-management-of-mangroves-28072015/
Sea Walnut (Mnemiopsis leidyi)
Ctenophore ( Mnemiopsis leidyi )
Seshaiyana, 23(2): 2015
This ctenophore (a stingless jellyfish-like
animal) is native to the east coast of North and
South America. In 1982, it was discovered in the
Black Sea, where it was transported through
ballast water. It subsequently spread to the
Caspian Sea. In both places it multiplied and
formed immense populations. The sea walnuts
contributed to the collapse of local fisheries as
they feed on zooplankton on which the
commercial fish also feed. It has also been
discovered in the Mediterranean, Baltic, and
North Seas.
Source: http://ocean.si.edu/oceanphotos/sea-walnut-mnemiopsis-leidyi
1
ZSI Monitoring Impact of Climate
Change on Sundarban Biota
To measure the effect of climate change on the
flora and fauna of Sundarbans, the Zoological Survey
of India has set up monitoring bases inside the
mangrove forests. There are 25 plots in the five
islands of Bali, Gosaba, Basanti, Sagar and Satjelia
where the bases have been set up to measure the
diversity and population index of mangroves, crabs
and snails. Any change in their population will reveal
how climate change is affecting the islands. We will
know to what extent the biodiversity is getting
affected due to change in the water salinity level and
other factors. It will also take photographs and
prepare a GPS map of their habitats. It will prepare a
Sundarban mangroves
baseline data of biodiversity. As time passes by it will
be able to know whether there is any change in the
flora and fauna of the region or not. The monitoring
bases have so far been established in the buffer zone of
the mangrove forest. It has taken permission from the
state forest department to start more such centres
inside the core area of the tiger reserve. A UNESCO
World Heritage site, Sundarbans is an archipelago of
more than a hundred islands, famous for its mangrove
forests and several endangered species like the Royal
Bengal Tiger, Ganges and Irawadi dolphins. The
islands are hit hard by constant land erosion and
salinity due to rising sea levels. The ZSI is monitoring
the impact on animals while the Botanical Survey of
India will monitor the flora. Under a project funded by
the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and
Climate Change, they have also started monitoring
insect pollination on eight major mangrove
species of the region. As a result of various
factors including the use of chemical pesticides,
climate change, pollution, etc, the number of
pollinators has been on a decline in many parts
of the world. A number of fruits, nuts and
vegetables are pollinated by bees. Conservation
of pollinators is important from the view point
of food security and protection of our forests.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.
com/home/environment/flora-fauna/ZSImonitoring-climate-change-impact-onSundarban-animals/ articleshow/47907468.cms
Emperor Penguins on the Ice
Standing at twice the height of the Adélie
penguins, emperor penguins are the largest of the
penguin species and can grow to be 100 pounds. This
species breeds directly on the ice: a female lays her
one egg and then passes it to the male to protect while
she returns to the cold water to forage for food.
Source: http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-photos/
emperor-penguins-ice
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Emperor Penguins
Seshaiyana, 23(2): 2015
A Mission for Coastal Resource
Conservation
Artificially developed mangroves
The United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Chennai-based M.S.
Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) will work
together for the conservation of coastal resources with focus
on the restoration of the Sorlagondi mangrove forest cover
in Krishna district.
The UNFCCC has sanctioned Rs. 3.8 crore for
implementing the adaptation strategy of MSSRF in
Krishna district from an 'adaptation fund' through the
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
(NABARD). According to NABARD sources, the objective
of the adaptation initiative is to overcome the
consequences of sea level rise and seawater inundation
following cyclonic storms. A roadmap to improve the
mangrove forest cover in 200 acres and fish cultivation in
around 50 acres of mangrove forest was prepared, and
executed in August. It was also stated that cage cultivation
would be encouraged in brackish water by setting up as
many as 10 cages in the three villages which had been
adopted by MSSRF. The conservation of the mangrove
forest becomes significant, as a portion of it has been
spared for the proposed Missile Test Launch Facility
project of the Defence Research and Development
Organisation.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todayspaper/tp-national/tp-telangana/a-mission-for-coastalresource-conservation/article7571475.ece
Seaweed Collector Wins Environment Award
Ms. M. Lakshmi (46) was hardly seven years old
when she took her maiden boat ride to the islands in the
Gulf of Mannar to collect seaweeds. She has come a long
way to win the prestigious Seacology Prize. She is going to
Berkeley in California to receive the award. The US-based
Seacology, an environment non-profit organisation has
selected Ms. Lakshmi for this year's award for her
outstanding contribution in conserving the marine
resources and cultural traditions of her village,
Chinnapalam, a small coastal hamlet in the island. Vineeta
Hoon, a Seacology representative in Chennai, who had
shortlisted Lakshmi's name, said she was the first Indian
woman and community leader to win the award, which
Seaweed cultivator who won the Seacology
carried $ 10,000 and a trophy with her name inscribed on it.
Ms. Lakshmi, who never went to school, took to seaweed
collection at the very young age and had been in the profession for nearly four decades supplementing her family
income. She often regretted for not having gone to school but it looks it is a blessing in disguise.
She is heading the Gulf of Mannar seaweed collect women forum, the women's wing of the Ramanathapuram
district fish workers trade union, which has proposed her name for the award in coordination with Vembar based
People's Action for Development and International Collective in Support of Fish Workers. About 2,000 women are
engaged in seaweed collection, both in the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar. Lakshmi is guiding them in sustainable
collection.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national /tamil-nadu/seaweed-collector-wins-environmentaward/article7613833.ece
Seshaiyana, 23(2): 2015
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Occurrence of Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) in Parangipettai Coastal Area
The Indian Peafowl (Pavo
cristatus) also called Blue or
Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
Common Peafowl, is the largest of
the pheasants. It was justifiably
declared as the National Bird of
India in 1963 due to its 'flagship'
value founded on its glorious
position in mythology and its
widespread distribution and
grandeur. Male peafowls are
called peacocks, females as
peahens and the young ones as
peachicks. Each fan feather has an
eyespot called an “ocellus”. With
its long feathers, the male peafowl
is one of the largest flying birds in
the world. Indian peafowl ranges
through eastern Pakistan through
India, and from the Himalayas Source: http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/indian-peafowl-pavo-cristatus/male-standing-ground
south to Sri Lanka. It is a bird of
scrub-jungles and forest edges,
showing affinity to moist and dry deciduous and semiarid biomes. It is also found in agriculture fields, along
streams with good vegetation and close to human habitations in a semi-feral condition. It roosts on trees and
also uses tall buildings where trees are scarce. It eats seeds, grains, berries, insects, crustaceans, small reptiles,
small mammals and cultivated crops. It is likely that the availability of such food items in the above habitats
partly explains the relatively high abundance of this species in semi arid and food plains. Now its occurrence
has extended to the coastal and mangrove regions in Puducherry and Muthupettai. It has also been sighted in
Parangipettai coastal region where an artificially developed mangrove forest, aquaculture farms and salt pans
are there. Mangrove swamps function as the feeding ground for wading birds with high food resources such as
fishes, crabs, insects and other molluscs and invertebrates in the sediments. Its survival strategies in coastal area
are worth studying. The Indian Peafowl is listed as species of Least Concern in the Red List of International
Union for Conservation of Nature.
Deep-sea dragonfish (Stomiidae)
Deep-Sea Dragonfish
The deep-sea dragonfish (Stomiidae) is also called the
barbelled dragonfish. It uses its fang-like teeth to grab prey in
the deep-sea environment. Like other deep-sea organisms,
dragonfish has bioluminescent photophores and other
adaptations that allow it live at extreme depths.
Source: http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-photos/deep-seadragonfish
4
Seshaiyana, 23(2): 2015
Eco-Sensitive Zone Tag for
Bhitarkanika Villages
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change recently declared 192 villages
around the Bhitarkanika National Park and the
Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Kendrapada district
as eco-sensitive zone (ESZ).
The ESZ status aims at preventing ecological
damage caused due to developmental activities
around the Bhitarkanika, touted as the India's fourth
largest mangrove forest in India, and Gahirmatha
beach, the world's 'largest rookery' of Olive Ridley sea
turtles.
The union government on October 21, 2014
issued a draft notification, identifying the ESZ,
covering 192 villages within two-km radius of
Bhitarkanika and invited suggestions and objections
from the locals within two months. Many villagers
and environmentalists submitted their suggestions
and objections which were taken into consideration
by the Centre.
The guidelines issued include a broad list of
activities that could be allowed, promoted and
regulated. As per the guidelines, activities such as
commercial mining, setting up of saw mills and
industries, causing pollution, commercial use of
firewood and setting up of major hydro-power
projects are prohibited in such areas. The guidelines
also prohibit activities like flying over the protected
areas in an aircraft or hot air balloon and discharge of
effluents and solid waste to natural water bodies or
terrestrial areas. Felling of trees, drastic change in
agriculture systems, commercial use of natural water
resources and setting up of hotels and resorts are the
activities to be regulated in the areas. Activities
permitted in the areas include ongoing agriculture
and horticulture practices by local communities,
rainwater harvesting, organic farming, adoption of
green technology and use of renewable energy
sources.
Bhitarkanika has 82 species of mangroves
including many sub-species. It is a unique ecosystem,
criss-crossed by a network of rivers and creeks which
are infested with more than 1,600 crocodiles.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes
.com/city/bhubaneswar/Eco-sensitive-zone-tag-forBhitarkanika-villages/articleshow/48184474.cms
Bhitarkanika-mangroves
Southern Elephant Seal in Gold Harbour, South Georgia – the Largest
Seal on Earth
The largest of all seal species, the southern
elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) is found in the chilly
Antarctic and Subantarctic waters. The male seals
dive as deep as 1,430 meters (over 4,600 feet) and stay
at that depth for up to two hours.
The southern elephant seal is a truly
restrained behemoth. Males can grow five times
larger than females, up to 5,000 pounds. The above
elephant seal may look fierce, but it is simply
yawning over and over in the wave-wash.
Source: http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-photos/southernelephant-seal-gold-harbour-south-georgia
Elephant seal (Mirounga leonina)
Seshaiyana, 23(2): 2015
5
Developing El Niño Could be the Strongest on Record
A strong El Niño signaled by the periodic
warming of ocean surface temperatures in the
equatorial Pacific can lead to heavy rain in parts of
North America and drier than normal conditions in
Australia, Indonesia and parts of India. National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
of US says that there is an 85% chance that the current
El Niño will last through the first few months of next
year (2016) with its strength peaking in November or
December.
How do scientists forecast an El Niño?
Forecasters in the United States, Japan and
Australia monitor sea surface temperatures in the
Pacific, paying particular attention to a region called
Niño 3.4 in the eastern equatorial Pacific. They also
track water temperatures below the ocean surface
and the air pressure above, then feed this information
into forecast models.
If ocean-surface temperatures in the Niño-3.4
region are between 0.5 and 1 °C above average during
Elevated ocean surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean are a sign of El Niño
How does an El Niño form?
The weather pattern is the product of a
complex dance between sea surface temperatures
and atmospheric conditions. Normally, trade winds
from the east drive cold water from the depths of the
eastern Pacific Ocean to the surface. But sometimes
those winds weaken, causing the ocean surface to
warm and heat the air above it. That warm air rises
and moves north and south from the equator, altering
the high-altitude air currents along which storms
tend to travel.
6
a three-month window, NOAA declares a weak El
Niño. Forecasters label an El Niño as strong if the
temperature level exceeds the average by 1.5 °C.
NOAA projects that the current event could produce
temperatures that are 2 °C higher than average, or
more. For comparison, the strongest El Niño on
record occurred in 1997–98 and produced
temperatures 2.3 °C above average.
What makes this El Niño different?
It started unusually early in March instead of
in June. This could be because warm waters left over
Seshaiyana, 23(2): 2015
from last year's weak El Niño gave it a head start,
according to the chief forecaster at the International
Research Institute for Climate and Society at
Columbia University in Palisades, New York.
And this would be the second El Niño year in
a row, following the weak El Niño that developed late
last year. A similar El Niño double-header happened
between 1986 and 1988, but forecasters predict that
the current El Niño will become stronger than either
of those two events.
What effects might El Niño have elsewhere?
El Niño is associated with higher atmospheric
pressure in the western Pacific, which tends to
produce sunny, dry weather in parts of Australia and
Indonesia. The effects can spread all the way to India
which has experienced a relatively dry June and July.
They are having a bad monsoon in India.
Source: http://www.nature.com/news/
developing-el-ni%C3%B1o-could-be-strongest-onrecord-1.18184
Mangrove Course in India
15 International Course on “Mangrove Biodiversity and Ecosystems”
th
Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, India
(Nov. 23 – Dec. 7, 2015) Closing date for applications is September 5, 2015.
Website: http://inweh.unu.edu/training/mangrove-course-in-india/
Overview
Since 2004, UNU-INWEH has been supporting this annual two
week training course in collaboration with Annamalai University, India,
where it is organized and held. Teaching primarily focuses on mangrove
ecosystems while maintaining an integrated approach on coastal
ecosystem management.
Objectives
The course aims to build the capacity of professionals and
institutions in developing countries to undertake monitoring, research and
conservation of mangrove forests. This is achieved through training in the
scientific methodology and teaching of latest research work on related
subjects. A secondary objective is to create a network of professionals
working with mangroves.
UNU Fellowships
A limited number of fellowships are available to qualified
candidates from developing countries only. These fellowships will be
granted on a competitive basis and will cover all expenses, including
economy excursion airfares via the most direct route for candidates from outside India. Candidates from India will be
reimbursed for travel via the most direct route. In order to apply for a fellowship, please complete the section called
'Justification for UNU Fellowship'.
ITTO Fellowship Programme
Applicants may apply for funding via The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) Fellowship
Programme. Please note that this is a 2 week training course so requests should reflect realistic expenses for travel,
accommodation and allowance.
Application forms can be sent via email or by sending hard copies by September, 5, 2015 to:
Prof. Dr. K. Kathiresan, Director & Dean, CAS in Marine Biology,
Annamalai University, Parangipettai 608 502, Tamil Nadu, India
Telephone: 91-4144-43223 (Office), 238419 (Residence); Mobile: 91 -9442068003
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Seshaiyana, 23(2): 2015
7
Travelling Fish Market in
Pulicat Lagoon
200 fishing boats in Annamalaicheri, 20 are employed
for this purpose. One fisherman who was interviewed
in the high water told his group has sold everything it
caught. He rushed again for fishing telling as vendors
may arrive anytime they have to catch more fishes.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/features/
metroplus/the-travelling-fish-market-on-pulicatlake/article7464633.ece
Sustainability: Do Not Waste Bycatch
Travelling fish market
In the Pulicat lagoon where flamingoes
impervious to their surroundings march on
contended on the silver-grey expanse of shallow
waters, the travelling fish market unlike in any other
habitat is also a unique thing.
Fibre boats serve as mobile fish markets where
fishes caught are kept in heaps. Two varieties of fishes
such as Madavai (mullet) and Oran (rabbit fish) which
are caught more here are marketed. Fish vendors from
the nearby village hire a boat at Annamalaicheri and
come shopping here for sea food. They sell these fishes
wholesale at the market back home. Most of those who
come for shopping here carry their own measuring,
scales and weighing stones. It is called the 'maal
tharasu', which consists of fishing net and a metal
twine. Oran was sold for Rs.150 a kilogram on the day
of observation.
Within 20 minutes, the entire catch gets sold
out. Here the freshest fishes are sold. No ice is used for
storing. The taste therefore is superior. The fishing
goes on throughout the day. The vendors come
regularly and the catches are sold to them within
minutes. All the transactions happen on the water —
it's common to see men scribbling accounts on their
notebooks and counting cash, as their boatmen steer
them home on the waters of Pulicat.
The leftovers are sold in the villages of
fishermen or taken home for their own use. The
concept of a mobile fish market has been in existence
for several years in the region. Locals say that of the
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Every year, some 6 million to 8 million tonnes
of waste crab, shrimp and lobster shells are
produced globally — about 1.5 million tonnes in the
Southeast Asia alone. While 75% of the weight of a
tuna fish can be extracted as fillets, meat accounts for
only around 40% of a crab's mass. In developing
countries, waste shells are often just dumped in
landfill or the sea. In developed countries, disposal
can be costly — up to US$150 per tonne in Australia
for example. Dried shrimp shells are valued at a
mere $100–120 per tonne. They can be ground down
and the powder is used as an animal-feed
supplement, bait or fertilizer, as well as in chitin
production.
Crustacean shells have 20–40% protein,
20–50% calcium carbonate and 15–40% chitin.
What could these parts be used for?
Shell refinery
In the next five years, a multimillion-dollar
project should be launched to establish the first
processing pipeline using new technology. The
Seshaiyana, 23(2): 2015
project should be supported by governments of
nations rich in shell waste, and executed by
researchers with complementary expertise, covering
catalysis, materials science and engineering, food
science and life-cycle assessment. Companies
including producers and traders of shellfish, those
associated with bio-commodities and biomaterials
and others promoting renewable materials should
reassess the potential markets of an environmentally
friendly and profitable waste-shell refinery and
engage with research to commercialize emerging
technologies. In the next decade, stringent regulations
should be implemented on the disposal of waste
shells, while providing incentives for companies who
use them.
Source: http://www.nature.com/news/
sustainability-don-t-waste-seafood-waste-1.18149
Discarded bycatch-the crustaceans
Building Opportunities for Fisherwomen in Tamil Nadu:
The Power of Microfinancing
Credit: © vlad61_61 / Fotolia
Fisherwomen at work in fish landing centre
Up to 87% of the poorest households in India do not have access to credit; 380 million are in need of
microfinance services. Unequal education opportunities and access to business prospects have resulted in
stunted economic security, particularly amongst women in coastal communities. This is where Small Grant
Facility projects in India, under the Mangrove for the Future initiative (implemented by IUCN) are making
a difference.
Source: https://www.mangrovesforthefuture.org/news-and-media/news/india/buildingopportunities-for-fisher-women-in-tamil-nadu-the-power-of-micro-financing/#sthash.mkm5jhCs.dpuf
Seshaiyana, 23(1): 2015
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Seshaiyana, 23(1): 2015 (ISSN 0971-8656)
Rising to the Challenge of Whale Shark Conservation
Marking a significant
start to whale shark
(Rhincodon typus)
conservation in Maharashtra,
the Mangrove Cell, Forest
Department of Maharashtra
a n d I U C N I n d i a
collaboratively organised a
stakeholder workshop for the
development of a
m a n a g e m e n t a n d
conservation plan for whale
Rhincodon typus
sharks in Maharashtra. This is
the first of its kind for a
marine species in the state. The
workshop was held in Mumbai on 30 May 2015, and brought together conservation experts, industries,
community leaders of fishermen and Government representatives.
Source: https://www.mangrovesforthefuture.org/news-and-media/news/india/2015/rising-to-thechallenge-of-whale-shark-conservation/#sthash.B16gU66u.dpuf
Coastal Cleanup Day
The coastal cleanup day (19.9.2015) was organized in our ENVIS Centre on 21.9.2015. The ENVIS
staff, faculty members, non-teaching staff, research scholars and students of Centre of Advanced Study in
Marine Biology numbering at about 100 participated in this cleanup day and cleaned the nearby fish landing
Centre (Annankovil, Parangipettai). They collected more than 270 kg of solid waste including plastics and
polythene materials.