Overview

India surrounded by sea on three sides has a coastline of over 7500 kms. The coastal areas of India cultivate rich and diverse biodiversity. A variety of specialised marine ecosystems like mangroves, coral reefs, salt lakes and mud flats form the habitat for a number of endangered marine species and commercially important marine flora and fauna.
See World Map of Coral Damage

A survey conducted by the Zoological Survey of India has revealed tremendous pressure on coral reefs in the country due to excessive human interference. Coral mining, sand mining in coastal areas, siltation from soil runoff mainly due to deforestation and poor land management have caused damage to marine ecosystem. Rising population densities and industrialization have resulted in increasing discharge of sewage and effluents into the ecosystems. Among other economic activities, offshore dredging, construction activities, oil transport (and the related oil spills) have all heightened the vulnerability of the coral reefs- an integral part of the marine ecosystem.

Further, the unrestricted tourist flux in the recent years, the unplanned collection of shells and corals for ornamental trade, and the commercial exploitation of fish have also contributed to the damage of the ecosystem.

The reefs of the Andamans and Nicobar Islands constitute the best prospect for India to conserve and manage large areas of significant coral reef resources. Evidence of the site's global significance is supported by the work undertaken by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) which has included the Andaman and Nicobar Island reefs among about 100 countries with conservation-worthy reefs or coral communities.