250kg of debris cleared from Sindhudurg reefs | India News – Times of India

Marine debris, including ghost nets abandoned or lost during fishing operations, often drifts with ocean currents, entangling corals and devastating marine life

NAVI MUMBAI: India’s first largescale ocean floor cleanup operation was launched in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg coral reefs Wednesday, with seven certified scuba divers collecting around 250kg of non-biodegradable waste from the seabed. This pioneering initiative to restore marine biodiversity and ecosystems, led by state agencies and involving several NGOs, targeted a 150m radius near Sindhudurg Fort. The cleanup involved careful extraction, bundling, and disposal of mainly discarded or lost nylon fishing nets, which are complicated further by underwater challenges.
Maharashtra-based senior scientist Ashok Kadam of Fisheries Survey of India told TOI, “This is the first ocean floor cleanup drive to be organised by govt and private bodies together. The programme was conceptualised by ministry of environment, forest, and climate change to raise awareness about our ocean conservation and keeping our coasts clean, plastic free. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and fisheries department have taken the lead in this regard.” The initiative was led by MPCB, Fisheries Survey of India (Mumbai base), NGO Vanashakti along with local partners like state fisheries department, Malvan Nagar Parishad, Neelkranti, Youth Beats for Environment, Maharashtra Maritime Board, and Malvan Tourist Group.
Kadam further said that the Union ministry has earmarked funds of around Rs 40 crore for conducting awareness programmes with regards to keeping our oceans and coasts clean. School and college students will also be involved in future cleanup drives, he added.
Marine debris, including ghost nets abandoned or lost during fishing operations, often drifts with ocean currents, entangling corals and devastating marine life. “Additionally, these ghost nets detract from the natural beauty of the region, impacting tourism in Malvan, a hotspot for coral reef exploration and marine education,” said environmentalist D Stalin of Vanashakti. Local fisherfolk have welcomed the effort.