06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation

Introduction
Coastal ecosystems are transitional areas
between marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Such
areas include brackish water lakes/lagoons,
marshes, mangrove swamps, littoral zones and
coral reefs. Coastal ecosystems are among the
most productive and biologically rich ecosystems
on earth and are also the most endangered.
Flood control, ground water recharge and
discharge, shoreline stabilization, climate
stabilization, carbon sequestrations are some of
the major function and non-marketed values of
Indian wetlands. Marketable resources such as
timber, thatch, medicine, food, fodder and fuel,
fish and aqua-culture, water spent and tourism,
floodplain farming, culture and heritage, water
supply, transport are some of the major market
value of our wetlands.
The livelihood strategies of millions of people in
India are dependent on coastal ecosystems. Yet,
they are one of the most neglected ecosystem
with very little or no management inputs. Despite
their important role in maintaining the ecology
and economy of their regions, almost all coastal
ecosystems in India are endangered by a lack of
appreciation of their role. A few of the country's
coastal ecosystems, which have a great deal of
biological wealth are protected under the Wildlife
Protection Act, whereas others, which may not
be as biologically rich, do not share the same
protection, and are easy targets for
unsustainable development.
In order to ensure that coastal ecosystems are
managed in.a sustainable manner, there is a need
to understand that coastal ecosystems are
influenced by what happens. beyond the
administrative boundary, an "Area of Influence
Management" approach within the ecological
boundary may be more acceptable. Local
communities have evolved with the coastal
ecosystems and are the best judges of resource
management. Their time-tested traditional
methods can only be utilized through their
participation and economic returns going back to
them. Without an economic value and
participation, conservation of coastal bioresources
will have no support, from local
populations and will not survive.
A great challenge in relation to the sustainable
management of coastal areas in developing
countries is the design of coastal development
strategies which can lead to the ecological
security of the coastal zone and the livelihood
security of coastal communities becoming
mutually reinforcing (Swaminathan, 1998). This
necessitates the study of the coastal
environment not only from the physico-chemical,
biological and ecological bases but also through
cultural, economic and social development
National Bioresource Development Board
(NBDB) since its inception, has initiated
programmes with two main approaches I.e.
resource-based approach and region-based
approach. The Resource-based approach
includes preparation of digitized inventories of
bioresource I.e. plant, animal, microbial and
marine. The Region-based approach aims to
develop special programmes for critical areas of
the country that is, the hill-ecosystem especially
the north-eastern region, desert eco-system, and
coastal and marine ecosystem. NBDB has also
constituted expert committees to identify areas
of research and intervention for conservation
and sustainable utilization of bioresource.
In a meeting of the coastal ecosystems experts
working group in November 2000, it was
suggested that an integrated programmes on
inventorisation, characterization and
enhancement of coastal bioresource be taken up
in a network mode. The committee identified
MSSRF to be the nodal agency for preparation of
the status reports for selected coastal regions of
the country.