CMPA Technical Report Series 38 A Compendium of Good Practices in Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation in India February 2014 Indo-German Biodiversity Programme Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Protected Areas CMPA Technical Report Series No. 38 A Compendium of Good Practices in Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation in India Authors Janki Teli, Sujeet Kumar Dongre, Shriji Kurup, Padma G, Rejini Simpson, Vanitha Kommu, and Reema Banerjee (Center for Environment Education) Published by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Indo-German Biodiversity Programme (IGBP), GIZ-India, A-2/18, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi - 110029, India E-Mail: [email protected] Web: www.giz.de February 2014 Responsible Director, Indo-German Biodiversity Programme Photo Credit Dr. Neeraj Khera Layout Aspire Design, Delhi Disclaimer The views expressed in this document are solely those of the authors and may not in any circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) or the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The designation of geographical entities and presentation of material in this document do not imply the expression or opinion whatsoever on the part of MoEFCC, BMUB or GIZ concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Reference herein to any specific organisation, consulting firm, service provider or process followed does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or favouring by MoEFCC, BMUB or GIZ. Citation Janki Teli, Sujeet Kumar Dongre, Shriji Kurup, Padma G, Rejini Simpson, Vanitha Kommu, and Reema Banerjee. 2014. A Compendium of Good Practices in Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation. CMPA Technical Series No. 38. Indo-German Biodiversity Programme, GIZ- India, New Delhi. Pp 96. A Compendium of Good Practices in Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation in India Authors Janki Teli, Sujeet Kumar Dongre, Shriji Kurup, Padma G, Rejini Simpson, Vanitha Kommu, and Reema Banerjee (Center for Environment Education) February 2014 CMPA Technical Report Series 38 Indo-German Biodiversity Programme Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Protected Areas Good Practices in Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation Disclaimer This study has been financed through a contract with the Project on “Conservation and Sustainable Management of Existing and Potential Coastal and Marine Protected Areas” (CSM-CMPA), of the Indo-German Biodiversity Programme. The Project is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Building, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). The information presented and the views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, nor of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Government of India, or the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH. The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of MoEFCC, BMUB, or GIZ concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific organisations, companies or products of manufacturers, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by MoEFCC, BMUB, or GIZ in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Good Practices in Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation Contents 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 2 Objective ......................................................................................................................................... 1 3 Project Implementation .................................................................................................................. 1 4 Presentation of case studies ........................................................................................................... 5 GUJARAT ............................................................................................................................................. 5 1. Role of Pagadiya in demonstrating sustainable fish harvest and influencing policy for conserving intertidal marine biodiversity in Gulf of Kutch. ..................................................... 5 2. Campaigning to the save the Whale Shark along the coastline of Gujarat ............................. 9 3. Mangroves as bio-shield for protecting shorelines in the Gulf of Khambhat – the corporate learnings ................................................................................................................................ 12 MAHARASHTRA ................................................................................................................................. 15 4. Community led sea turtle conservation: Effort of Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra, Chiplun. ............ 15 5. Formation of Dhanu Taluka Environment Protection Authority ........................................... 17 6. Formation of SANGAM team towards supporting urban sustainability of Malvan, Shindudurga, Maharashtra .................................................................................................... 19 GOA ................................................................................................................................................... 23 7. The Ramponkars - Community fishing in the offshore waters .............................................. 23 8. Community involvement in Marine Turtle Conservation in Morjim, Agonda and Galgibaga with the support of Goa Forest Department......................................................................... 25 KARNATAKA ...................................................................................................................................... 28 9. Government efforts towards estuarine biodiversity conservation – case of Hiregutti. ....... 28 10. Conserving traditional coastal agriculture practices and germplasm protection ................. 31 KERALA .............................................................................................................................................. 35 11. Kolavipalam- A Safe Heaven for Olive Ridleys ....................................................................... 35 12. Kumbalangi- the Waterfront Village...................................................................................... 39 13. Vembanad Socio Ecological System (SES) ............................................................................. 43 14. Perumbalam – Fight Against Dredging .................................................................................. 47 TAMILNADU ...................................................................................................................................... 51 15. Co-management of fisheries resources in Palk Bay .............................................................. 51 16. Sea cucumber conservation in Gulf of Mannar ..................................................................... 54 ANDHRA PRADESH ............................................................................................................................ 58 17. Communities protect their coastal wetlands ........................................................................ 58 18. Nelapattu community efforts in protecting coastal bird areas ............................................. 60 19. GPS technology for traditional fishers in Kakinada ............................................................... 62 i Good Practices in Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation WEST BENGAL ................................................................................................................................... 65 20. An eco-tourism model for coastal and marine biodiversity conservation – the case of Sundarbans Jungle Camps ..................................................................................................... 65 21. Large scale impacts of DRCSC on coastal biodiversity conservation and policy inputs through Climate change resilience model work through natural resource management. ... 70 22. Research inputs for biodiversity protection in aquaculture .................................................. 75 PONDICHERRY ................................................................................................................................... 78 23. Evolving participatory community based fisheries management plans................................ 78 ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ..................................................................................................................... 81 24. Towards building a community based fisheries monitoring