Coral islands facing threats

Melkhani, who had also worked as the park director of the Gulf of Mannar Trust, said the incidence of coral breakage and change in the ocean ecosystem was alarming and there was a need for policy change to regulate fishing and development activities along the coast.

“We are aware of the situation, the third island, ‘Vaan’, is also slowly submerging and our scientists are monitoring the sensitive hot spots in the Indian Ocean,” said Dr K. Venkataraman, director, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata.

Coral breakage is caused in the Gulf of Mannar, mainly due to the anchors used by mechanised boats and trawlers and siltation by unchecked developmental activities.

“The climate in Chennai and the rainfall of Tamil Nadu are decided in the Gulf of Mannar biosphere. The presence of these 21 islands has a great influence on the hydrological conditions of the inshore region of the state. ZSI was also co-ordinating with Sri Lankan scientists, working in the Palk Bay, to keep us posted on the ecological changes that they are observing on the landlocked sea area, sandwiched between India and Lanka,” the ZSI director said.

In 1998, a study showed that 70 per cent of the coral reef was damaged in the Gulf of Mannar; now there are signs of its restoration to about 40 per cent, but the ecology had been badly hit, Thoothukudi and Mannar losing their pearls and fish too, he noted.“We are periodically submitting our reports to the government of India and ZSI is also working on species-based studies. Sea cucumber collection in the Tamil Nadu coast is being studied currently and the data being received is shared with the Union ministry of environment and forest for policy matters related to fishing practices,” Venkataraman pointed out.