PARLIAMENT QUESTION:- Marine Species Conservation
PARLIAMENT QUESTION:- Marine Species Conservation
The Government has taken various important steps for the conservation of marine species which includes the following:
Annexure-I
Details of funds released to coastal State/ UT Governments under CSS-‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ during last five years:
(₹. in lakhs)
S. No.
Name of States/UTs
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
1
A& N Islands
132.64
0
135.77
25.125
0
2
Andhra Pradesh
0
0
0
0
0
3
Goa
111.654
0
0
0
50.10
4
Gujarat
0
124.5849
0
200.01
206.99
5
Karnataka
739.046
586.12634
1256.59314
291.71146
581.52346
6
Kerala
845.026
731.2845
295.7737
224.4735
921.0361
7
Maharashtra
715.781
146.08
0
350.3879
554.69645
8
Odisha
701.504
697.50
726.80273
967.4976
612.81161
9
Tamil Nadu
409.505
334.0354
390.75715
132.95205
373.8902
10
West Bengal
891.073
710.61953
757.25599
201.30866
385.29988
11
Puducherry
0
0
0
0
5.22
12
Lakshadweep
193.272
462.409
462.086
269.9055
124.655
Grand Total
4739.501
3792.64
4025.039
2663.372
3816.223
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
- A network of protected areas across the Coastal States and Islands of the country has been created for the conservation of marine species under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
- Many threatened marine species have been listed in Schedule I and II of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 providing them protection against hunting.
- The Ministry has amended Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to empower Indian Coast Guards for entry, search, arrest and detention in case of contravention of provisions of the Act.
- The Ministry has released a National Marine Turtle Action Plan with the aim to conserve marine turtles and their habitats in India.
- The Ministry has released ‘Marine Megafauna Stranding Management Guidelines’ in 2021 for management of stranding and entanglement of marine megafauna.
- The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification,2019, promulgated under Environment (Protection) Act 1986, has specific focus on conservation and management plans of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs), like Mangroves, Sea grasses, Sand dunes, Corals and Coral reefs, Biologically active mudflats, Turtle nesting grounds, and Horseshoe crabs’ habitats.
- The Ministry provides financial assistance to States/UTs under the Centrally sponsored Scheme ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ for conservation of wildlife including marine fauna and its habitat. The details are provided as per Annexure-I.
- The Ministry is granting funds under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes to maritime States for the conservation of Corals and Mangroves.
- The Ministry under the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority provides funding support for conservation of Dugongs and their habitats.