Invasive species a threat to blue economy, says ZSI director

Chennai:

As efforts are on to restore the coral reefs in Indian coastal waters,
the native marine ecology is facing a new threat in the form of alien
soft corals.



Zoological Survey of India director K Venkataraman told Express on the
sidelines of a meeting organised by National Maritime Foundation to
discuss ‘The Blue Economy - Prospects and Challenges for India’ said
that invasive alien species like soft corals are a threat to Blue
economy.



The dispersal of soft corals was through the ballast water of ships
and there is an urgent need to study the occurrence and impacts of
invasive species in coral reefs, he said.



This soft corals pose a threat to marine ecology as they monopolise
the food and space of coral system that harbours 25 per cent of total
marine biodiversity, he said.



Venkataraman also highlighted the success of artificial coral reefs.
“Results during the last one year highlighted the success of
artificial coral reefs that were immersed in shallow waters,” says
Venkataraman while highlighting loss of pearls in Thoothkudi.



He also said that sea cucumber, a marine organism found in the coral
reef areas, be retained in Schedule I Category of the Wildlife
Protection Act of 1972. “There have been moves to lift the ban on sea
cucumber but any such move would result in disaster,” he said.



Commodore R S Vasan, director Chennai Centre for China Studies, hailed
the Modi government for providing maritime thrust. “India is now
looking at both the imediate and the extended maritime neighbourhood
with greater interest to ensure that it does not concede strategic
space to China, a extra regional power.