Lok Sabha Question No. 2134 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-05
Subject: Marine Species Conservation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Rajesh Naranbhai Chudasama, Shri Vijay Baghel, Shri Y S Avinash Reddy, Shri Rajkumar Chahar, Shri Khagen Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2134

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2024

## Marine Species Conservation

## 2134. SHRI CHUDASAMA RAJESHBHAI NARANBHAI:

SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:

SHRI Y S AVINASH REDDY:

SHRI RAJKUMAR CHAHAR:

SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the steps taken for conservation of marine species;
- (b) whether the Government provides financial assistance for the protection of marine species; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (c) The Government has taken various important steps for the conservation of marine species which includes the following:
- i. A network of protected areas across the Coastal States and Islands of the country under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 has been created for the conservation of marine species.
- ii. 106 coastal and marine sites have been identified for conservation of marine species.
- iii. Many threatened marine species have been listed Schedule I and II of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 according them protection against hunting.
- iv. 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.
- v. The Ministry has released a National Marine Turtle Action Plan with the aim to conserve marine turtles and their habitats.
- vi. The Ministry has released 'Marine Megafauna Stranding Management Guidelines' in 2021 for management of stranding and entanglement of marine mega fauna.
- vii. 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,  Seagrasses,  Sand  dunes,  Corals  and  Coral reefs, Biologically active mudflats, Turtle nesting grounds, and Horse shoe crabs' habitats.
- viii. The Ministry is granting funds under the centrally sponsored schemes to maritime States for the conservation of Corals and Mangroves.
- ix. The  Ministry  provides  financial  assistance  to  States/UTs  under  the Centrally  sponsored  Scheme  'Development  of  Wildlife  habitats'  for conservation of wildlife including marine species and their habitat. The details are provided as per Annexure-I.
- x. The  Ministry  under  the  National  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund Management  and  Planning  Authority  provided  funding  support  for project for conservation of Dugongs and their habitats.
- xi. The Government also provides financial assistances to Universities / Research Institutes through research projects that are aimed at conservation of marine species.

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## Annexure-I

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2134 due for reply on 05.08.2024 regarding 'Marine Species Conservation'.

Details  of  funds  released  to  coastal  State/  Union  Territories  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       | Goa                  |   111.654 |     0     |     0     |     0     |    50.1   |
| 3       | Gujarat              |     0     |   124.585 |     0     |   200.01  |   206.99  |
| 4       | Karnataka            |   739.046 |   586.126 |  1256.59  |   291.711 |   581.523 |
| 5       | Kerala               |   845.026 |   731.284 |   295.774 |   224.474 |   921.036 |
| 6       | Maharashtra          |   715.781 |   146.08  |     0     |   350.388 |   554.696 |
| 7       | Odisha               |   701.504 |   697.5   |   726.803 |   967.498 |   612.812 |
| 8       | Tamil Nadu           |   409.505 |   334.035 |   390.757 |   132.952 |   373.89  |
| 9       | West Bengal          |   891.073 |   710.62  |   757.256 |   201.309 |   385.3   |
| 10      | Puducherry           |     0     |     0     |     0     |     0     |     5.22  |
| 11      | Lakshadweep          |   193.272 |   462.409 |   462.086 |   269.906 |   124.655 |
|         | Grand Total          |  4739.5   |  3792.64  |  4025.04  |  2663.37  |  3816.22  |