integrated coastal zone management project west ... - Iczmpwb.org

191identify, prioritize and quantify objectives, monitor their achievement, evaluate the programand ultimately adjust it.394. In the context of ICZM three types of indicators are of importance:• Governance indicators, which measure the performance of program components (e.g.,status of ICZM planning and implementation), as well as the progress and quality ofinterventions and of the ICZM governance process itself;• Ecological/Environmental indicators, which reflect trends in the state of the environment.They are descriptive in nature if they describe the state of the environment in relation to aparticular issue (e.g., loss of biodiversity or over-fishing). They become performanceindicators if they compare actual conditions with targeted ecological conditions;• Socioeconomic indicators, which reflect the state of the human component of coastal andmarine ecosystems (e.g., economic activity) and are an essential element in the developmentof ICZM plans. They help measure the extent to which ICOM is successful in managinghuman pressures in a way that results not only in an improved natural environment, but alsoin improved quality of life in coastal areas, as well as in sustainable socioeconomic benefits.395. Monitoring of key indicators and evaluation of the monitoring results will pointtowards the success or otherwise of the interventions which have been proposed in the StateProject Report on ICZMP of West Bengal and will form the central theme of the envisagedmonitoring and evaluation efforts. As have been outlined earlier the key indicators that are ofrelevance and are required to be monitored will include the following: seasonal field monitoring of retreat/advance of the coast line and beach profilealong the Digha-Sankarpur and Sagar island sectors over a sufficient numberof years so as to evaluate that equilibrium beach plans and profiles have beenattained. yearly monitoring through remote sensing about erosion/growth throughdeposition/emergence/disappearance of coastal island systems of theSundarban areas inclusive of Sagar Island yearly monitoring through remote sensing and limited check fieldobservations on shrinkage/increase of mangrove covered areas in Sundarban