Marine Life Protection Organizations

As explored in a previous article about the threats faced by the ocean and marine life, we know that the ocean is what sustains us, and without it, we lose a large source of food and resources, and may not have enough oxygen and clean air to breath. 

Here are some NGOs working to conserve marine life and the ocean in and around India:

Wildlife Trust of India

The WTI is one of India's leading wildlife conservation NGOs, who also work on marine conservation. Founded in 1998, they aspire to conserve wildlife and their natural habitats and to work towards the welfare of individual wild animals, while collaborating with local communities and governments. Their greater vision is to 'secure the natural heritage of India'. 

They work to, reduce human-animal conflict, the rescue and rehabilitation of animals and translocation of species like Elephants, Tigers, Leopards, One-horned Rhinos and Bears. 

They also carry out conservation projects for marine species. One of them, is to satellite tag whale sharks off the western coast, and track their movement and study their migratory pattern. The whale shark conservation project is one of their largest marine life conservation projects. Some other of their projects include coral reef recovery, which endeavors to implement strategies to conserve the Mithapur reef, near Gujarat. The rapid action projects, tend to species that are in need of immediate attention, like leatherback sea turtles around the Nicobar islands. Action includes eliminating threats to the population, human-induced or even natural, and some measures of protection also include rehabilitating the animals. 

Find out more about the Wildlife Trust of India at : Wildlife Trust of India (wti.org.in) 

Society for Marine Research and Conservation

SMRC is based in Cochin, Kerala, and its goal is ''to contribute further to the better understanding of the marine ecosystems of India, its flora and fauna through dedicated field research which provides necessary scientific ideas which are critical for the better protection and conservation of the marine natural resources and sustainable development.' 

Some of their ongoing projects are, the migratory shore birds monitoring program,  finding strategies to save juvenile fishes from over fishery and programs to teach people about marine species, their habitat and threats, as well as about indigenous fishermen and sustainable fishing. 

They also run frequent beach cleanups and conservation projects for migratory birds, by ensuring that they are well protected, through extensive monitoring, and tracking the numbers of the species. They also raise awareness on methods of protecting the species. SMRC believes in the ethical catching of fish, and run programs to ensure that fish are not caught before they reach their full growth, and spread awareness on the dangers of over-fishing, and possible solutions to the problem. 

SMRC also runs conservation programs in the Andaman Islands too, as it has a high marine biodiversity. They work on over fishery of sharks and rays, developing new ways of protecting them, and educating the fishermen on the ecological importance of these species. 

To find out more about the Society for Marine Research and Conservation, visit : www.smrcindia.in

Coastal Impact :

Coastal Impact is based out of Goa, and their aim is 'to study & monitor our marine ecosystems, support awareness, outreach, research and conservation actions and also help build interest and engagement amongst local communities and visitors about the extraordinary oceanic ecosystems of India.' 

They conduct frequent controlled diving programs to ensure that marine life is well protected and that most human-created hazards to them are removed. They've also conducted underwater cleanups for 25 years, and removed plastic, glass and paper waste from beaches and coral reefs. Once in 2017, they picked up 2.4 million cigarette buds in one day! Coastal Impact has worked in the Global FinPrint initiative, and conducted survey on the numbers of sharks, rays and other coral marine life. 

To find out more about Coastal Impacts' initiatives, go to : About Us – COASTAL IMPACT 

Reef Watch

Reef Watch was founded in 1993, and is based in Maharashtra, the Karnataka coast and the Andaman Islands. It is concerned with the conservation of the reefs, beaches and marine life in these regions. Their vision is ''To protect the ocean and the life within, so our children (and theirs) will have access to this source of richness and beauty that sustains us today. protect the ocean and the life within, so our children (and theirs) will have access to this source of richness and beauty that sustains us today.'

Reef Watches strategy for marine conservation, is to first understand and gain more knowledge about the ocean and oceanic habitats, then use that knowledge and understanding for sustainable management. 

The two main goals that Reef Watch has, are, 1) to adapt various restoration and rehabilitation strategies to Indian context, and implement them to restore coral reefs, and other marine habitats like mangrove forests. 2) to rescue and care for endangered and other marine species along the coastline. The group has rescued beached dolphins and sea turtles on the coast too. Reef Watch also wants to create programs to spread awareness on the ocean, its' species and conservation and eco-tourism, working towards creating a bluer planet. 

Along the Karnataka coast, since 2019, Reef Watch has tended to over 75 stranding incidents, and has rehabilitated and released many sea turtles and sea birds. They also introduced sustainable fishing methods and methods of waste disposal to the local fishermen. 

You can find out more about Reef Watch and their initiatives at : ReefWatchIndia

Image of the sea turtle was taken from the Reef Watch blog

                                                                                                                 ~ ♡ Mridini