India’s mangroves, covering around 4,992 square kilometres, are more than just coastal forests—they’re lifelines for millions. These unique ecosystems thrive in the intertidal zones along the country’s vast coastline across ten states: Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. They play a crucial role in coastal ecosystems and the local economy.
On the basis of habitat, mangroves can be further segregated into:
Why Mangroves Matter?
Mangrove ecosystems offer a multitude of ecosystem services that significantly contribute to human well-being and environmental sustainability. They provide food, fuelwood, timber, and medicinal resources, supporting the livelihoods of coastal communities. Moreover, mangroves are climate warriors, playing a vital role in sequestering and storing vast amounts of carbon, and protecting coastlines from erosion, storm surges, and tsunamis. Their roots serve as nurseries for fish and shellfish, enhancing habitats for aquatic biodiversity, while their canopies offer homes for terrestrial ecosystems.
Mangroves under threat
The Indian State of Forest Report (2021) has reported a net increase of 17 sq km in the mangrove cover across Maharashtra, Odisha, and West Bengal, compared to the assessment of 2019. The increase is attributed to natural regeneration and plantation activity. However, the mangrove ecosystems are still under threat owing to anthropogenic and environmental pressures.
Historical land conversion for agriculture and shrimp farming, though reduced, remains a concern, especially along the Eastern coast. Overgrazing by the Kharai camels in the Kori Creek region is lesser known, but a significant threats. Rapid coastal development, including port construction and urbanisation, further stresses the fragility of mangrove habitats. Pollution from industrial and urban sources, including sewage discharge, is also a major threat to mangrove ecosystems, with impacts on species diversity and overall health. Climate change adds another layer of complexity, with sea level rise posing a serious threat, particularly to deltaic and insular mangroves along the eastern coast. Additionally, pressures of insurgencies in transboundary regions like the Sundarbans and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, coupled with Illegal wildlife trade, further add complications to the management of these habitats.
Consider the Indian portion of the Sundarbans delta: unregulated water and sediment flows have caused severe erosion, disrupting freshwater supply and the disappearance of islands like Haliday Island. The impact extends beyond the physical landscape, as the breeding habitat of the Hilsa fish, an economically vital species in the Ganga block, has been severely affected. These fishes have now migrated to the Bangladeshi side of the delta, where the flow in distributaries remains adequate. This shift has significantly impacted the livelihood of local communities in the Indian Sundarbans, who are left with diminished freshwater for agriculture and reduced access to Hilsa. As a result, many of them have turned to selling other aquatic species in an unregulated manner, further jeopardising the region’s delicate biodiversity.
Another case of many-fold pressure on mangroves is from the Jamnagar Marine National Park. Industrial development, particularly from oil and petrochemical industries, has led to recurring oil spills, which have emerged as wreaking havoc on mangrove habitats, causing defoliation and mortality. Expanding saltpans lead to brine water leakage and the discharge of alkaline waste, which has also resulted in mangrove destruction. Further, the increasing urbanisation around Jamnagar contributes to sewage and solid waste pollution, impacting water quality and mangrove health. While multiple mangrove plantation efforts have been undertaken, these threats continue to challenge the long-term survival of these vital ecosystems.
India at the forefront of conservation efforts
India has made significant strides in protecting its mangrove ecosystems through a combination of government schemes and community-driven initiatives. The National Mangrove Mission, launched in 2015, aims to increase mangrove cover and promote sustainable management practices. The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, first introduced in 1991, seeks to protect coastal areas from unsustainable development by classifying them based on sensitivity and setting restrictions on activities. The Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) program takes a holistic approach, encompassing multiple stakeholders and agencies.
Also, MoEFCC recently launched a five-year program, ‘Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)’ which envisages restoration/reforestation of Mangroves covering approximately 540 km2, spreading across 9 States and 3 Union Territories.
The UN-supported Mangrove for the Future (MFF) program and numerous community-based mangrove management projects spearheaded by NGOs and local organisations are also some of the key initiatives undertaken to safeguard the mangroves. Successful examples like the Pichavaram Mangrove Restoration Project in Tamil Nadu and the Arabari Experiment in West Bengal demonstrate the potential of community involvement for effective mangrove conservation. The World Bank’s Bangladesh-India Sundarban Region Cooperation Initiative (BISRCI) consortium promotes bilateral collaboration with various working bodies in India and Bangladesh. It supports the implementation of a ‘knowledge-based advocacy initiative’ to facilitate and support effective bilateral cooperation in the Sundarban Region. Various departments within the country have been working on ameliorating the conditions of wetlands and mangroves like the river linking project to divert waters during the lean season by the Department of Waterways, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau on Illegal Wildlife trades, the Department of Fisheries to regulate the harvest and creation of value chain using various schemes etc.
Collaborative Conservation: Need of the hour
Despite these initiatives, mangrove conservation in India is hampered by a compartmentalised approach that often leads to gaps in policies and management plans. The current efforts, while well-intentioned, usually operate in isolation, which results in duplication and limited impact on the livelihood aspects of conservation.
The interconnected nature of threats to mangrove habitats, as evidenced by the example of the Sundarbans, demands a collaborative approach for more effective conservation. Inter-ministerial collaboration and transboundary agreements, particularly those driven by scientific understanding, are crucial to developing intricate management plans that address multi-level resource sharing. For instance, the Farakka Barrage Treaty of 1996, due to expire in 2026, needs to be extended with a focus on sediment flow.
While there has been a growing interest on mangrove ecosystem services among researchers, it’s essential to recognise the interconnectedness of these services with local livelihoods. A holistic conservation approach must give greater consideration to the role of communities in protecting mangroves, their dependence on these ecosystems, and the importance of valuing ecosystem services. This could involve implementing value chain initiatives and exploring payment for ecosystem services schemes to engage communities in mangrove conservation further. Adopting initiatives such as Salmon credits being used in the US, can be extended to cash species like Hilsa, in the Indian Sundarbans scenario, to revive the economy in the affected regions.
Way Forward
In conclusion, a sustainable future for India’s mangroves depends on strict regulation enforcement, prioritising research, scaling up community participation, and fostering stronger partnerships between government agencies, NGOs, research institutions, and local communities. Ultimately, the transition from a top-down, state-controlled system to a collaborative approach that empowers local communities as well as area-specific policies is vital for the long-term success of mangrove conservation in India.
