Lok Sabha Question No. 1072 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-02
Subject: Marine Species Conservation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Y S Avinash Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1072

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.12.2024

## Marine Species Conservation

1072. SHRI Y S AVINASH REDDY:

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

- (a) the details of the steps taken by the Government 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), (b) and (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 has been created for the conservation of marine species under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
- ii. Many threatened marine species have been listed in Schedule I and II of the  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act  1972  providing  them  protection  against hunting.
- iii. 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.
- iv. The Ministry has released a National Marine Turtle Action Plan with the aim to conserve marine turtles and their habitats in India.
- v. The  Ministry  has  released  'Marine  Megafauna  Stranding  Management Guidelines'  in  2021  for  management  of  stranding  and  entanglement  of marine megafauna.
- vi. 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.
- vii. 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.
- viii. The Ministry is granting funds under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes to maritime States for the conservation of Corals and Mangroves.
- ix. The  Ministry under the National Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund Management and Planning Authority provides funding support for conservation of Dugongs and their habitats.

***

Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a), (b) and (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1072 due for reply on 02.12.2024 regarding 'Marine Species Conservation'.

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&NIslands           |   132.64  |     0     |   135.77  |    25.125 |     0     |
| 2        | Andhra Pradesh       |     0     |     0     |     0     |     0     |     0     |
| 3        | Goa                  |   111.654 |     0     |     0     |     0     |    50.1   |
| 4        | Gujarat              |     0     |   124.585 |     0     |   200.01  |   206.99  |
| 5        | Karnataka            |   739.046 |   586.126 |  1256.59  |   291.711 |   581.523 |
| 6        | Kerala               |   845.026 |   731.284 |   295.774 |   224.474 |   921.036 |
| 7        | Maharashtra          |   715.781 |   146.08  |     0     |   350.388 |   554.696 |
| 8        | Odisha               |   701.504 |   697.5   |   726.803 |   967.498 |   612.812 |
| 9        | Tamil Nadu           |   409.505 |   334.035 |   390.757 |   132.952 |   373.89  |
| 10       | West Bengal          |   891.073 |   710.62  |   757.256 |   201.309 |   385.3   |
| 11       | Puducherry           |     0     |     0     |     0     |     0     |     5.22  |
| 12       | Lakshadweep          |   193.272 |   462.409 |   462.086 |   269.906 |   124.655 |
|          | Grand Total          |  4739.5   |  3792.64  |  4025.04  |  2663.37  |  3816.22  |