As per the India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR-2023), India’s total mangrove cover stands
at 4,991.68 sq. km, constituting 0.15% of the nation’s geographical area.
Key Regulatory Measures
India has implemented a series of stringent legal frameworks to ensure mangrove protection:
Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019 under the Environment (Protection) Act,
1986, categorises mangroves as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs), restricting activities within
a 50-metre buffer zone where mangrove cover exceeds 1,000 sq. m.
Mandates compensatory replantation at a 3:1 ratio if mangroves are affected by development.
Additional protection under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Indian Forest Act, 1927, and
Biological Diversity Act, 2002, among others.
Key Promotional Initiatives and Achievements
Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI):
Launched on 5 June 2023 to promote restoration and afforestation across 540 sq. km in 9
coastal States and 4 Union Territories.
Implementation through convergence funding with the National Compensatory Afforestation
Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
For FY 2024–25, ₹17.96 crore has been allocated to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha,
West Bengal, and Puducherry for the treatment and restoration of 3,836 hectares of degraded
mangroves.
National Coastal Mission – Conservation of Mangroves and Coral Reefs:
Financial assistance for the conservation of 38 mangrove sites and 4 coral reef sites across the
country.
Operates on a 60:40 cost-sharing model between the Centre and States.
₹8.58 crore released to seven coastal States during 2021–23 for mangrove conservation.
GCF-ECRICC Project (Green Climate Fund – Enhancing Coastal Resilience of Indian Coastal
Community):
Active since 2019 in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha.
Aims to restore and conserve 10,575 hectares of mangroves.
As of 2024, 3,114.29 hectares have been successfully restored.
The world’s mangrove ecosystems cover about 150 thousand km2 along mainly tropical,
sub-tropical and some warm temperate coasts of the world. About 15% of the world’s coastlines
are covered by mangroves.
Mangrove ecosystems are important for biodiversity conservation, provision of essential goods
and services to local communities, and reducing the impact of climate change. For this reason,
understanding risk of ecosystem collapse has serious socioeconomic implications.
Threats menacing mangroves are evolving rapidly: in the past we saw degradation from wood
exploitation, deforestation for agriculture and shrimp farming, and indirect imparts from dam
construction altering freshwater and sediment fluxes. Today, mangroves face additional
challenges due to climate change, including sea-level rise and an increased frequency and
severity of cyclonic storms.
Fifty percent of Mangrove Ecosystems units are at risk of collapse
Economic and Social Importance of Mangroves
Mangrove ecosystems are exceptional in their ability to provide essential ecosystem services to
people, including coastal disaster risk reduction, carbon sequestration and long-term storage,
and ecological support for fisheries and biodiversity. As of today, global mangroves:
Store almost 11 billion tons of carbon, which is almost three times the amount of carbon stored
by tropical forests of the same size.
Protect 15.4 million people and USD 65 billion worth of property per year from coastal disasters.
In 2050, this could rise to 15.5 million and USD 118 billion because of population growth and
rise in property values.
Support 126 million fishing days per year, providing a key source of food for human populations
living near coasts and beyond, along with valuable employment provided by millions of
fisheries-related jobs.
This global assessment shows that more than 50% of mangrove ecosystems are at risk of
collapse. In the absence of additional conservation efforts, by 2050, about -~7,065 km2 (- 5%)
more mangroves will be lost and ~23,672 km2 (-16%) will be submerged. If we let this happen,
the world is at risk of losing:
~1.8 billion tonnes of carbon stored (16% of the total current carbon stored in mangroves),
currently valued at least $13 billion at market prices in voluntary carbon markets and
representing a cost to society equal to $336 billion based on the social cost of carbon.
Protection for 2.1 million lives exposed to coastal flooding (14.5% of current lives exposed) and
$36 billion worth in protection value to properties (35.7% of current property values protected).
17 million days of fishing effort per year (14% of current fishing effort supported by mangroves).
Importance of mangroves in maintaining coastal ecology:
1.
The mangroves show edge effect, which means that they have large speciesdiversity in
comparison to marine or terrestrial ecosystem.
2.
Mangroves are among the most productive terrestrial ecosystems and are a natural,renewable
resource. For instance, Sundarbans in the Gangetic delta supportsaround 30 plant species of
mangroves.
3.
Mangroves provide ecological niches for a wide variety of organisms. They serve asbreeding,
feeding and nursery grounds for fisheries and provide timber and wood forfuel.
4.
Mangrove forests act as water filters and purifiers as well. When water from riversand
floodplains flow into the ocean, mangroves filter a lot of sediments, henceprotecting the coastal
ecology including coral reefs.
5.
They supply timber, fire wood, medicinal plants and edible plants to local people.
6.
They provide numerous employment opportunities to local communities andaugment their
livelihoods.
7.
Mangroves act as shock absorbers. They reduce high tides and waves and protectshorelines
from erosion and also minimise disasters due to cyclones and tsunami.
8.
Given their importance, strict enforcement of the coastal regulation measures,scientific
management practices and participation of the local community inconservation and
management are essential for the conservation and sustainablemanagement of the precious
mangrove forests.
Thus, the mangroves have an important role in sustaining and preserving coastalecosystem.
The threats posed by human activities can upset the natural balance andcause their depletion.
Causes of Depletion of mangroves:
1.
Sea level rise and coastal erosion:
Due to global warming, the sea levels arecontinuously rising. The rising sea levels have flooded
large areas of mangroveforests. This has resulted in their depletion. This has been
supplemented bycontinuous erosion by sea towards the land.
2.
Reduction in river water levels:
The mangroves are more prevalent in areas wherethe rivers meet the sea. The system requires
a fine balance between salt and sweetwater to survive. Reduction of river water due to dams
has caused destruction ofmangroves.
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3.
Invasion by alien species:
Introduction of non-native and alien species of plantsand animals are causing threat to the
endemic species of the region. This has led toimbalance in ecological structure, resulting in their
depletion.
4.
Clearing:
Large tracts of mangrove forests have been cleared to make room foragricultural land, human
settlements, industrial areas, shrimp aquaculture etc. As aresult, mangroves get depleted to the
tune of 2-8 percent annually.
5.
Over harvesting:
They are also overexploited for firewood, construction wood andpulp production, charcoal
production, and animal fodder.
6.
Damming of rivers:
Dams built over the river courses reduce the amount of waterand sediments reaching mangrove
forests, altering their salinity level.
7.
Destruction of coral reefs:
Coral reefs provide the first barrier against currents andstrong waves. When they are destroyed,
even stronger-than-normal waves reachingthe coast can wash away the fine sediment in which
the mangroves grow.
8.
Pollution:
Mangroves also face severe threats due to fertilisers, pesticides,discharge of domestic sewage
and industrial effluents carried down by the riversystems.
9.
Climate change:
Unusually low rainfall and very high sea surface and airtemperatures caused severe threats to
the survival of mangrove forests.
Importance of