Human activities & coastal habitat degradation: Why India’s sea cows are under threat – The Indian Express

Report on the Conservation Status of Dugongs in India and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent global assessment highlights the precarious status of the dugong (Dugong dugon) population in India, posing significant challenges to the nation’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). This report synthesizes the ecological importance of dugongs, analyzes the anthropogenic threats impacting their survival, and evaluates current conservation measures. The decline of this keystone species, primarily due to habitat degradation, pollution, and fisheries bycatch, threatens marine biodiversity, climate regulation, and the economic well-being of coastal communities, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced, integrated conservation strategies.

Introduction: The Dugong and its Critical Role in Sustainable Development

The dugong, a marine herbivorous mammal, is a vital component of coastal marine ecosystems in India. Its survival is intrinsically linked to the health of seagrass meadows, which are critical ecosystems for achieving multiple SDGs.

Ecological Significance and Contribution to SDGs

• SDG 14 (Life Below Water): Dugongs are ecosystem engineers. Their grazing activities maintain the health and productivity of seagrass meadows, which serve as nurseries for commercially important fish, shellfish, and invertebrates. Healthy dugong populations directly support the target of sustainably managing and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): By maintaining seagrass meadows, dugongs sustain one of the planet’s most efficient carbon sinks. The natural “mowing” process stimulates carbon storage in marine sediment, contributing directly to climate change mitigation efforts.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The ecosystem services provided by dugong-maintained habitats support local economies. Studies indicate that seagrass beds with dugong presence yield significantly higher fish production, thereby supporting the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities.

Analysis of Threats to Dugong Survival

The dugong population in India has declined to a critically low number, estimated to be between 250 and 450 individuals. The primary threats are anthropogenic and represent significant obstacles to achieving sustainable development targets.

Population Status

1. Gulf of Kutch: Long-term survival is considered “highly uncertain,” with fewer than 20 individuals remaining.
2. Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Survival is “challenging,” with a fragmented population of less than 50 individuals.
3. Gulf of Mannar-Palk Bay: This region holds the largest population (150-200 individuals), but numbers are significantly lower than in the past.

Primary Threats and SDG Implications

• Fisheries Bycatch: Accidental entanglement in fishing nets is a primary cause of mortality. This unsustainable fishing practice directly contravenes the objectives of SDG 14 to end overfishing and destructive fishing practices.
• Pollution and Habitat Degradation: This threat highlights a failure to meet targets under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 14.
  • A recent study confirmed the presence of toxic heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead) in dugong tissues.
  • These pollutants originate from land-based sources such as industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and untreated wastewater, which degrade the seagrass habitats essential for dugong survival.
• Slow Reproductive Rate: The dugong’s low reproductive rate makes its population extremely vulnerable to these persistent external pressures, complicating recovery efforts.

Conservation Measures and Policy Framework

India has implemented several measures to protect its remaining dugong population, aligning with national and international conservation commitments.

Government Initiatives

• Legal Protection: The dugong is listed under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, affording it the highest level of legal protection.
• National Dugong Recovery Programme: A partnership between the central government and the states of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands aims to coordinate conservation efforts. This collaboration is an example of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) in action.
• Dugong Conservation Reserve: The establishment of a 448-square-kilometre reserve in Palk Bay by the Tamil Nadu government in 2022 is a significant step towards fulfilling SDG 14 by protecting critical habitats.

Conclusion and Recommendations for Enhanced Action

While current conservation efforts are commendable, the continued decline and persistent threats to India’s dugong population indicate that more robust action is required. The survival of the dugong is a barometer for the health of India’s coastal ecosystems and its progress towards key Sustainable Development Goals.

Recommendations

1. Strengthen Enforcement: Enhance the enforcement of regulations within protected marine habitats to prevent illegal and destructive activities.
2. Mitigate Fisheries Bycatch: Develop and promote affordable, alternative fishing gear and establish incentive-based models to reduce fishing pressure in critical dugong habitats, directly addressing SDG 14 targets.
3. Address Land-Based Pollution: Implement stricter controls on industrial and agricultural runoff to reduce marine pollution at its source, in line with SDG 12 and SDG 14.
4. Enhance Monitoring and Research: Invest in advanced monitoring techniques to accurately assess population dynamics and the effectiveness of conservation interventions.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 14: Life Below Water

  This is the most prominent SDG addressed. The article focuses entirely on the dugong, a marine mammal, its habitat (seagrass meadows), the threats it faces from human activities like pollution and fishing, and conservation efforts within its marine environment.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  While dugongs are marine animals, this goal is relevant because its targets include halting biodiversity loss and protecting threatened species, regardless of their habitat. The article highlights the dugong’s status as a vulnerable species facing extinction, directly connecting to the core themes of SDG 15.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  This goal is connected through the issue of marine pollution. The article explicitly mentions that toxic metals enter the sea from “industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and untreated wastewater,” which are issues related to production patterns and waste management on land that directly impact marine life.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  A connection to this goal is established through the ecological role of dugongs and their habitat. The article states that by maintaining healthy seagrass meadows, dugongs “contribute to climate regulation by sustaining one of the most efficient carbon sinks on the planet.” This links the conservation of the species to climate change mitigation.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities. This is directly addressed by the mention of a study that found toxic elements like “arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and lead” in dugongs, originating from “industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and untreated wastewater.”
   • Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts. The article’s focus on the importance of seagrass meadows, the threats they face, and the establishment of the “Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay” to protect these habitats directly relates to this target.
   • Target 14.4: By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices. The article identifies “accidental entanglement in fish nets” and “fisheries bycatch” as primary drivers of the decline in the dugong population, highlighting the need to address harmful fishing practices.
   • Target 14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas. The establishment of the “448-square-kilometre” Dugong Conservation Reserve by the Tamil Nadu government is a concrete action that aligns with this target of creating protected marine areas.

2. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. The entire article is centered on this target. It discusses the dugong’s status as a species “vulnerable to extinction” on the IUCN Red List and its protection under “Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972,” which are measures to prevent the extinction of a threatened species.

3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to… water… to minimize their adverse impacts on… the environment. The article’s reference to toxic metals from industrial and agricultural sources polluting the marine environment and accumulating in dugong tissues is a clear example of the adverse impacts that this target aims to prevent.

4. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation. The article itself, along with the report it discusses (‘A global assessment of dugong status and conservation needs’), serves to raise awareness. It explicitly links the health of seagrass ecosystems, maintained by dugongs, to climate regulation by describing them as “one of the most efficient carbon sinks on the planet,” thereby building capacity for understanding nature-based solutions to climate change.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Population Status of Threatened Species

   The article provides population estimates for dugongs in India (“between 400 and 450 individuals” or “less than 250”). Tracking this number over time is a direct indicator of progress towards Target 15.5 (preventing extinction). The IUCN Red List status (“vulnerable to extinction”) is another key indicator.

2. Rate of Mortality from Human Activities

   The article states that a majority of sea cows die from “accidental entanglement in fish nets” and “fisheries-related mortality.” A reduction in the number of such incidents would be a clear indicator of progress towards Target 14.4 (reducing harmful fishing practices).

3. Concentration of Pollutants in Marine Life

   The study mentioned, which found “five toxic elements” in the tissues of stranded dugongs, provides a baseline. Monitoring the concentration of these pollutants in marine species over time can serve as an indicator for Target 14.1 (reducing marine pollution) and Target 12.4 (management of chemical waste).

4. Coverage of Protected Marine Areas

   The article explicitly mentions the “Dugong Conservation Reserve” in Palk Bay, which is “448-square-kilometre.” The size and number of such protected areas are direct indicators for measuring progress towards Target 14.5 (conserving marine areas).

5. Health and Extent of Key Ecosystems

   The article emphasizes the role of dugongs in maintaining healthy “seagrass ecosystems.” The health, extent, and carbon storage capacity of these seagrass meadows can be used as an implied indicator for progress on Target 14.2 (protecting marine ecosystems) and its link to Target 13.3 (climate action).

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: indianexpress.com