Progress report for
Removal of marine debris from reef areas in Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu, India - to reduce the stress to the bleached corals and to support recovery process
Achievement at a glance
Presently survey to identify the ghost nets affected coral areas is in progress. In Gulf of Mannar, reefs are distributed around 21 islands. So far, 7 island areas in Southern part of Gulf of Mannar have been surveyed covering 5.21 Sq.Km reef area.Out of the 5.21 Sq.Km reef area surveyed, 565 sq.m reef area are affected by ghost nets which are different types of nylon fishing nets (gill nets, pelagic nets, bottom set nets), lines and ropes, and plastics. Majority of the nets are affecting live corals mostly Acropora sp. followed by Montipora sp., Porites sp. and Favia sp. The impact to corals due to ghost nets is mortality, colony damage, abnormal corralites, sedimentation and macro algal proliferation.
The survey in the remaining reef areas are in progress. The affected reef sites are marked with GPS coordinates and removal of ghost nets will be started after completion of survey in entire reef areas