Scientists call for pro-active role to protect coral reefs - Times of India

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Dec 21, 2014, 01.31PM IST

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PANAJI: Scientists have stressed on a pro-active role by concerned agencies for conserving coral reefs that are currently facing wrath of human and environmental interventions.

"Destructive exploitation methods while fishing, poor land use, careless tourism, damages caused by navigation, environmental impact, climate damages and diseases cause degradation of coral reefs," senior scientist at Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Dr J Ravindran said.

He was addressing policy-makers of SAARC countries at Port Blair during a five-day workshop held last week on 'Climate change impact on coral reef'.

The workshop was organised by NIO for SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre in which policy-makers and scientists from four SAARC nations - India, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Sri Lanka - participated.

Listing various diseases that destroy the corals silently, Ravindran said NIO investigated the coral disease 'Pink-Line Syndrome' in hard corals and proved its etiology.

"There is requirement of organisational settings and legal aspects to ensure the conservation of coral reefs in India by establishing marine protected areas and marine national parks," he said.

"The pro-active conservations through specific intervention should be done to protect coral reefs," the scientist said, pointing out one of the proactive measures - coral transplantation method - that was standardised and used by Lakshadweep Coral Reef Monitoring Network (LCRMN).

The scientific community should attempt to develop more versatile methods for conservation covering all type of corals, he stressed.

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