1

DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Primary data collection : National Institute of Oceanography, Dona

Paula, Goa

Database development : Dr. S. Sundaramoorthy

Dr. T. Shunmugaraj
Mr. V. Ramanathan of I CMAM-PD
Dr. S. Rajaguru
Dr. V. Ravi & Mr K. Shivakumar of IOM,
Anna University

Remote sensing and GIS : Mrs. Tune Usha, ICMAM-PD and Mr Y. Pari,
IOM, Anna University

Information system development : Dr T. Shunmugaraj, ICMAM-PD and

Mr. Y. Pari, IOM, Anna University

Multimedia design and development : Ms. K. Radha and Dr. T. Shunmugaraj of

ICMAM-PD

Project review : Dr. B. R. Subramanian and

Dr. V. Sampath of ICMAM-PD

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1. I ntroduction

The coastal areas of India with a coastline of over 7,500 km, harbours a variety of
specialised marine ecosystems like coral reef, seagrass beds, mangroves, algal communities,
mud flats and lagoons. Each of these marine ecosystems with its associated habitats supports
a wealth of marine resources.

Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability among living organisms. The
environment in which they occur and their interaction among each other and with the
environment makes these habitats ‘’unique’’. The marine environment is one of the richest
ecosystems among all. The developmental activities in the coastal zones coupled with a
population increase in these narrow stretches of land, have placed enormous stress on the
coastal marine environment, thus affecting the ecological balance of the coastal zones.

Recognising the importance of marine ecosystems and their resources, a new

programme entitled “Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management” (ICMAM), was
initiated in 1998 by establishing a Project Directorate at Chennai as a Technical unit of
Department of Ocean Development. The concept of ICMAM is being promoted extensively to
ensure the sustainable development of the coastal areas, rational utilisation of marine
resources and proper management of the marine environment to prevent its degradation
from developmental, commercial or other activities. The overall goal of ICMAM is to improve
the quality of life of human community who depend on coastal resources, while maintaining
the biological diversity and productivity of coastal marine ecosystems.

In this context, with the support of the World Bank, the ICMAM Project Directorate
selected 11 critical habitats from East and West Coasts of I ndia to study and develop GIS
based information for effective management of these habitats. Malvan (Maharashtra) is one
among the 11 critical habitats identified for such a study, on the basis of biodiversity value.
The major objective of this study is to create information on the resources of this region
using Geographical Information System (GI S) incorporating its components of remote sensing
and an external database. This would help the decision makers in effectively monitoring and
managing the biological wealth of this area.

2. Malvan – General Description

Sindhudurg district formed in 1981, presently comprises the taluk of Kudal, Malvan,
Devgad, Kankavali, Vengurla, Sawantwadi and Vaibhavwadi. The name of the district has
been adopted from the famous sea Fort of Sindhudurg built by Shivaji Maharaj in 1967.
Malvan is the southernmost part of Maharashtra and located approximately 35 km from the

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Mumbai – Goa National Highway No.17. Achara, Jamdul, Juva, Pankhol and Sarjekot are the
main villages in the taluk. Many other villages are located within a radious of 5 km from
Malvan (Fig.1).

Fig. 1 - Map show ing location of Malvan

The Malvan town is bound by 3 small creeks viz., Karli, Kolamb and Kalavali. To the
north of Malvan, the most striking feature of the beach is the littoral concrete or beach rock,
which continues over long stretches. This littoral concrete occurs as a rocky beach either
directly attached to the mainland or separated by sandy or marshy areas. The rock beach
gives protection to the coast against strong waves. In some regions, the rocky beach occurs
as a rim of banks enclosing marshy islands.

3. Climatology

3.1 Temperature

The average atmospheric temperature ranges from 16.5o C to 33.1o C with minimum
and maximum values in January and May, respectively. The average relative humidity varies
from 69.4% in April to 98% in July.

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3.2 Rainfall

The climate of Malvan is typical of monsoon regions, cool and dry seasons with low
intensity of north-eastern winds from the land (November to February) and hot-dry season
from March to May followed by rainy season (June to September). The annual average
rainfall is 2275 mm. Most of the rainfall occurs during June-October. The average monthly
rainfall (1988-97) ranges from 6.5 mm in April to 983 mm in July.

3.3 Currents

The coastal currents are clockwise or shoreward during February to September, while
anti-clockwise during November to January and transitional in October.

4. Malvan – Ecological importance

Malvan is an open coastal ecosystem and is dominated by rocky outcrops with

intermittent sandy beach. Sindhudurg a Fort constructed by King Shivaji in the 16th century is
on an island situated about a kilometre from the mainland. The sea in between and around
the Fort has many submerged and exposed rocks that provide an ideal substratum for marine
biota and shelter to many organisms. The Malvan coast has six types of habitats viz., rocky
shore, sandy shore, rocky island, estuarine, muddy and mangrove habitats.

4.1 Significance of Habitats

The rocky coastline of Malvan is primarily composed of sedimentary rocks. These

rocks soft and easily eroded by both wave and wind action, which tends to lead towards
animals that prefer a burrowing existence. Many crevices and cracks in the rocks serve as
ideal for sheltering, feeding and breeding grounds for many invertebrates and also as an ideal
substratum for harbouring marine algae (seaweed).

The inter-tidal zone along the Malvan coast (Fig. 2 & 3) is characterised by the
presence of coral species in Rajkot region and mangrove vegetation (Fig.4) in Karil, Kolamb
and Kalavali Backwater River.

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 Fig. 2 - Rocky coast Fig. 3 - I nter- tidal zone

In Malvan sandy beaches (Fig. 5) are interspersed with rock formation extending
over a considerable distance into the sea and forming into small bays. During low tide the
exposed areas of the bay have large rocks harbouring a variety of flora and fauna.

Fig. 4 - Mangroves in Kolamb Creek Fig. 5 - Sandy beaches in Rajkot area

5. Bio-diversity – Review of past literature

Malvan is one of the biologically richest coastal regions in Maharashtra. Earlier

reports on the marine flora and fauna of Malvan pertain to sea anemones (Parulekar, 1966,
1969 & 1971 a & b, 1981), molluscs (Joshi, 1969), polychaetes (Parulekar, 1973), pearl
oyster (Ranade, 1977), corals (Qasim and Wafar, 1979), seaweed (CMFRI, 1987) and
mangroves (Leela J. Bhosale 1989). Marine flora and fauna of the rocky, sandy and muddy
shores of Malvan comprise 367 species belonging to 173 genera (97 families, 16 classes and
9 phyla). Forty major animal groups including corals and pearl oysters were identified and
also 73 species of seaweed and 18 species of mangroves were recorded between 1971 and
1994 (Table 1).

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 Table 1 - Marine organisms recorded during different periods
Sl. No. Groups No. of Sources
species
1. Phytoplankton No Data -
2. Zooplankton No Data -
3. Foraminifera No Data -
4. Porifera 2 Parulekar (1981)
5. Cnidaria 20 Parulekar (1981)
6. Corals 9 Qasim & Wafar (1979)
7. Annelida 47 Parulekar (1971B)
8. Sipunculoidea 1 Parulekar (1981)
9. Echiuroidea 1 Parulekar (1981)
10. Arthropoda 47 Parulekar (1981)
11. Mollusca 70 Parulekar (1981)
12. Echinodermata 5 Parulekar (1981)
13. Fishes 74 CMFRI (1994)
14. Seaweeds 73 CMFRI (1987)
15. Mangroves and associated species 18 Leela J. Bhosale (1989)
Total 367

6. Development of the Resources I nformation System for Malvan

( RI SMA)

The major objective of this study is to create an information system on the resources
of this region in order to help decision–makers in effectively monitoring and managing the
biological wealth of this area.

The Resources I nformation System for Malvan (RI SMA) developed by ICMAM Project
Directorate integrates the existing diverse coastal and environmental data sets collected by
various organisations on the biodiversity of this region along with data on the land use,
Geomorphology and relevant coastal planning and development to facilitate monitoring the
health of the Malvan marine sanctuary.

RISMA is built using relational hybrid GIS architecture. RISMA, has the data collected
and analysed through various sources including GI S, image processing of remote sensing
data, secondary and primary data collected through field surveys and stored in an external
relational database.

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 A number of hybrid structures are available today, which use the power of GI S to
portray geometry and topology of spatial objects while utilising the strong capabilities of the
commercially available RDBMS such as Oracle, I ngress, Informix etc., to store the voluminous
attributes of the spatial data. A hybrid structure was used for the development of the
Resources I nformation System for Malvan. The main advantages of using hybrid structures
(geo-relational models) are:

œ Attribute data need not be stored with the spatial database and may be kept or
developed elsewhere.
œ All aspects of the attribute data are stored in specialised file structures and
commercial RDBMS ensures that new developments are incorporated as standards.
œ Data structures may be defined in standard ways using data dictionaries and data
can be queried using general methods such as SQL (Standard Query Language).
œ Keeping the attribute data in RDBMS does interfere with the basic principles of layers
in GI S.
œ Attributes of RDBMS can be linked to spatial units that may be represented in a wide
variety of ways.

RISMA was developed using ARC-NODE-RDBMS hybrid structure wherein the full
vector arc-node topology was used to describe the spatial data as lines, points or polygons.
Each spatial unit is identified by an unique number or code. The attributes of the spatial units
are stored in the relational tables handled by Oracle RDBMS.

RISMA incorporates the following:

œ Present status of distribution of phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos and corals.
œ Spatial distribution of corals in inter-tidal and sub-tidal zones.
œ Information on the previous work done in this area, to give an indication of the
changes in biodiversity.

7. Major components of RI SMA

7.1 Remote Sensing

Remote sensing is defined as the measurement of object properties on the earth’s

surface using data acquired from aircraft and satellites. It is, therefore, an attempt to
measure objects at a distance rather than in-situ. These systems provide repetitive coverage
of the earth, which provides periodical monitoring of earth and effects of human/ natural
activities on it. I RS I D LI SS I I I Nov. 1998 satellite imagery of Malvan is at Fig. 6.

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 Fig. 6 - Satellite imagery of Malvan
7.2 Field Survey

It is the primary source of data on the habitat. Methodology varies with respect to
parameters studied. Distribution of corals was studied using Line Intercept Transect and GPS
was used to fix observation points.

7.3 Relational Database Management Systems ( RDBMS)

RDBMS is the acronoym for “Relational Database Management Systems” and is

essentially a set of collected data stored in the form of tables and a set of programmes to
access it.

7.4 Details of Organisations involved in data collection

Data on phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos were collected by the National

Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa during May and September 1998 and March and May
1999. Phytoplankton collection was carried out using standard phytoplankton nets for
qualitative and quantitative analysis. Primary productivity was estimated using Light and Dark
bottle method. Zooplankton was collected by half-metre mouth diameter bolting nylon net
(mesh size 0.33 mm) and the volume of zooplankton was measured by displacement method.
The data on benthic organisms were collected by Quadrate methods. The fish catch statistics
was collected from the Department of Fisheries, Malvan.

Consequently, all these attribute data collected from the various sources were stored
as separate tables in the Oracle database and were linked using a common identifier. Tables
were created to hold information on:

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 œ Physio-chemical parameters
œ Culturable and non-culturable bacteria
œ Flora and Fauna
œ Socio-economics

7.5 Geographical I nformation System ( GI S)

Geographical Information System (GIS) is a tool for capturing, storing, checking,

manipulating, analysing and displaying data, which are spatially referenced to the earth. GIS
is used for wide applications including planning, landuse and geomorphology of land and
coastal area.

8. Methodology adopted for development of RI SMA

8.1 Mapping of Coral distribution in Malvan

Remote sensing, DGPS, GIS and RDBMS along with field surveys were used in
developing the resources information system for this region. Satellite data were selected as
primary sources of information and GIS and RDBMS were used to analyse and develop the
complete information system.

8.2 Methodology

The rocky island (Sindhudurg), Malvan Bay and Rajkot inter-tidal and sub-tidal
regions were surveyed separately and locations of coral points were fixed using GPS.
Sampling was done so as to cover the entire region around the study area. These points were
later used for generating the thematic map showing the spatial distribution of corals in and
around the Malvan bay.

Image processing, GI S and database software were used for the development of
RISMA. Digital image processing was carried out using ERDAS – IMAGE 8.4. GI S work was
done using ARCINFO 8.0.2 and ARCVIEW 3.2. Tables were created and stored in ORACLE 8.0
database with DEVELOPER 2000 as the front-end. Scripts were written using AVENUE
programming language. Finally, RISMA as an information system was presented in ARCVIEW
since it is a powerful and easy-to-use tool that has the capabilities to visualize, explore, query
and analyze the data spatially.

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8. Topography of the coast

Malvan coast extends from 16o 00’ 00’ N to 16o 05’ 00’ N Lat and 73o 25’ 00’ E to 73o
30’ 00’ E Long. The Coastline is marked by islands (Sindhudurg, Padamaged and Kadebakal),
oyster rocks (Mandal and Don Tarra), rocky promonatories (Rajkot and Sargikot), Sandy
beaches (Chiwalaychi vel, Kandvel, Malvan Chowpatty and Dandi) and mud flat – mangroves
in the environs of Kalavali and Kolamb creek (fig. 7).

Fig. 7 - Topographical features of Malvan

10. Geomorphology

From Malvan Bay, a chain of submerged and exposed rocky islands, extends towards
south up to 16o 00’ 00’ N - 16o 05’ 00’ N Lat and 73o 25’ 00’ E - 73o 30’ 00’ E Long. I n this
chain there are several islands including Sindhudurg Fort of Malvan at the northern tip. Other
small islets around Sindhudurg Fort are Mandal rock, Malvan rock, etc. There are numerous
exposed outcrops in this area.

The coast mainly consists of granites and gneiss and a few gneissic interruptions. The
rocks are covered by laterite beds. The coastline near Malvan is interrupted by sandy beaches
and rocky cliffs. The most striking feature of the beach is littoral concrete and beach rock,
which continues over long stretches. This littoral concrete occurs as a rocky beach either
directly attached to the mainland or separated by sandy or marshy areas (Fig. 8). The
rocky beach gives protection to the coast against strong waves. In some regions, the rocky
beach occurs as a rim on banks enclosing marshy islands.

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 Fig. 8 - Geomorphological features of Malvan Coast

11. Land use/ Land cover

Of the total land area, the human settlement with coconut plantation occupies 32%,
upland with/ without shrub 26%, forest cover 15%, mangroves 1%, mudflat 4%, agricultural
land 8%, rocky islands 1% and the remaining fallow land, irrigation tanks, water bodies, etc
(Fig. 9).

Fig. 9 - Map of landuse/ landcover in Malvan

12. Malvan - Marine Sanctuary

The marine biodiversity in the region has been reported to be relatively rich and
hence the Government of Maharashtra has declared port of Malvan coastal waters as Marine
Sanctuary in 1987. The total area of Marine Sanctuary is about 29.12 sq. km. (Fig. 10).

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 Fig. 10 - Map of Core zone & Buffer zone in Marine Sanctuary

The buffer zone is approximately 25.95 sq. km. The North East border of the buffer
zone is about 50 m from the seashore near Malvan Port. In the East, semi-circular sandy
beach is about 500 m parallel to the shore at Malvan. In the South, the area covers the buffer
zone near “Mandal Rock” of Malvan Port. I n the West, the buffer zone area touches the area
of Malvan rock.

The core zone covering the area of Sindhudurg Fort, Padamaged Island along
submerged exposed rocks extends to about 3.2 sq. km.

13. Hydrological Features

Marine water quality monitoring is required to predict changes in the quality of a

particular marine environment, so that curative or prevention measures can be taken to
restore and maintain the ecological balance in the habitats. Physico-chemical parameters
were studied during 1998-99 (May 1998, September 1998, March 1999 and May 1999) in
three locations viz., rocky island (Sindhudurg), Malvan Bay and Mouth of Kolamb creek.

13.1 Surface Water Temperature

The surface water temperature varied from 27o C to 37o C. While low temperatures
were recorded in September 1998 (late monsoon), high temperatures were recorded in pre-
monsoon season (Summer).

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13.2 Salinity

The overall salinity ranged from 23.6 to 37o/ oo during 1998-99. Lower salinity values
were recorded during monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. June-October is the period of
maximum rainfall.

13.3 pH

pH varied from as low as 7.4 in the late monsoon period (September) to as high as
8.25 in summer (March and May).

13.4 Dissolved Oxygen ( DO)

DO varied from 3.26 to 5.21 ml/ l. The low values are found in May 1998 when
temperature is high. Highest values are found in September 1998. Lowest values have been
observed near rocky island inter-tidal zone and highest values at 10m depth off rocky island.

13.5 Suspended Particulate Matter

Suspended particulate matter values ranged from 40 to 160 mg/ l. During pre-
monsoon season, 40-120 mg/ l was observed in the Malvan Bay and the mouth of Kolamb
creek. The highest value was observed in Sindhudurg region and ranged from 80-160 during
post-monsoon period. This value is very high compared to that recorded from other coral reef
environments like Gulf of Mannar, where suspended sediment value observed was 20mg/ l
during 1998.

13.6 Nitrite

The overall Nitrite concentration in Malvan coast ranged from 0.02 to 1.94 mmol/ l
during 1998-99. The lowest concentration was observed in pre-monsoon and highest in
monsoon and post-monsoon periods. The Nitrite values in inter-tidal zone ranged from 0.03
to 1.94 mmol/ l, in pre-monsoon season, while during post-monsoon season it was 0.10
mmol/ l.

13.7 Nitrate

Nitrate concentration was very high in the inter-tidal zone compared to sub-tidal
region. During pre-monsoon period, Nitrate values in the inter-tidal zone ranged from 1.45 to
8.76 mmol/ l, while during post-monsoon period it was 2.09 mmol/ l. In the sub-tidal zone, the
Nitrate values ranged from 0.02 to 3.08 mmol/ l in pre-monsoon and 0.23 to 0.79 mmol/ l in

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post-monsoon seasons. The concentration of nitrate is very high during pre-monsoon when
compared to post-monsoon period.

13.8 Phosphate

During pre-monsoon, the phosphate values ranged from 0.09 to 0.48 mmol/ l and 0.07
to 0.27 mmol/ l during post-monsoon period in sub-tidal zone. In inter-tidal zone, 0.07 to 0.38
mmol/ l during pre-monsoon and 0.29 mmol/ l during post-monsoon period was observed.

13.9 Silicate

Silicate concentration was very high in pre-monsoon season (3.37 to 25.59 mmol/ l in
inter-tidal and 1.25 to 16.89 mmol/ l in sub-tidal region). During post-monsoon, 0 - 1.99
mmol/ l and 3.75 to 12.75 mmol/ l were recorded.

13.10 Productivity

The coastal waters from Malvan were observed to be rich in chlorophyll and
productivity. Total chlorophyll values were high during pre-monsoon period and the
productivity ranged from 0 to 1.77 mg C/ m-3/ hr-1. The near shore waters are generally highly
productive due to high levels of nutrients in the coastal waters. The high productivity values
during pre-monsoon period may be attributed to higher concentration of chlorophyll and high
density of phytoplankton.

14. Marine organisms recorded in Malvan Sanctuary

14.1 Phytoplankton

In the present study (1998-99), 58 species of phytoplankton (Chart-1) were recorded

(49 species of Bacillariophyceae, 8 species of Dinophyceae and one species of
Cyanophyceae). The seasonal distribution of phytoplankton is given in Table–2. The
maximum diversity and density was observed during pre-monsoon season. The density
ranged from 5000 to 22,10,000 cells/ litre and Chaetoceros was the dominant species
contributing to 35%. I n post-monsoon season, the phytoplankton density ranged from 3,000
to 69,000 cells/ lit, dominated by Asterionella sp. 15% followed by Chaetoceros 11%(Fig-11).
Their density and diversity varied seasonally. Chart 1 shows the seasonal and overall
distribution of phytoplankton in the Malvan coast.

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 Fig. 11 - Phytoplankton ( Chaetoceros sp)

Table 2 - Season- w ise distribution of Phytoplankton in Malvan

No. of species recorded
Area May ‘98 Sep. ‘98 March ‘99 May ‘99
Rocky island
Bacillariophyceae 17 15 13 24
Dinophyceae 1 3 1 4
Cyanophyceae - - 1 1
Malvan Bay
Bacillariophyceae - - - 34
Dinophyceae - - - 3
Cyanophyceae - - - -
Mouth of Kolamb Creek
Bacillariophyceae 12 15 8 11
Dinophyceae - 2 1 -
Cyanophyceae - - 1 -

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 1
8

49
Bacillariophyceae
Dinophyceae
Cyanophyceae

Chart – 1 - Overall distribution of Phytoplankton 1998- 99

14.2 Zooplankton

Zooplankton, heterotrophic organisms at secondary level (primary consumer) depend

mainly on phytoplankton. It is an important group and indicates the productivity and
environmental characteristics of the marine ecosystems. I n the current study (1998-1999), 9
groups of zooplankton were recorded.

Fig. 12 - Cyclopoid – Copepod

The copepods constituted one of the most dominant taxa of zooplankton. Totally
34 species were recorded comprising 24 species of Calanoida, 6 species of Cyclopoida (Fig-
12), 4 species of Harpacticoida and 2 species of Cladocerans (Chart-2). The seasonal
distribution of copepods is given in Table 3.

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 Table 3 - Seasonal distribution of zooplankton
No. of species recorded
Area May ‘98 Sep. ‘98 March ‘99 May ‘99
Sindhudurg
( Rocky island)
Calanoida 10 3 14 10
Harpacticoide - 2 - -
Cyclopoida 3 2 4 4
Cladocera 1 1 1 1
Malvan Bay
Calanoida - - - 9
Harpacticoide - - - -
Cyclopoida - - - 2
Cladocera - - - -
Mouth of Kolamb Creek
Calanoida - 5 14 8
Harpacticoide - 2 - -
Cyclopoida - 3 2 2
Cladocera - 2 - -

The biomass of zooplankton ranged from 0.026 to 0.30 ml/ m3 and population density
varied from 15 to 2461 nos./ m3 during pre-monsoon season. The copepod, contributed 885
nos. to the total zooplankton population and the biomass of the other groups are fairly
diverse and consisted mainly of decapod larvae, cladocerans, ostracods, polychaetes,
ctenophore, chaetognaths, lucifer, amphipods, appendicularians and molluscs. Chart 2 shows
the overall distribution of zooplankton in the Malvan coast during 1998-99.

2
4
Calanoida
Cyclopoida
6
Harpacticoida
24 Cladocerans

Chart- 2 show ing the overall distribution zooplankton

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 On comparison of seasonal data both the biomass and population density were high
during pre-monsoon season, which could be attributed to high phytoplankton density.

14.3 Distribution of Foraminifera

In the current study (1998-99), 33 species of Foraminiferans (chart-3) were

recorded. The seasonal distribution of foraminiferans is given in Table-4. They were 11
Quinqueloculina sp; 6 Triloculina sp.; 3 Ammonia sp. (Fig-13); 3 species of Nonion, two
species each of Amphistegina, Cibicides sp., Elphidium sp., and Spiroloculina sp.; one species
each of Pararotalia and Pseudoeponides sp. The maximum number of species was recorded
during September as compared to May.

Fig. 13 - Quinqueloculina sp.

Table 4 - Season- w ise distribution of Foraminiferans ( no. of species)

Species September 1998 May 1999
Quinqueloculina 11 7
Triloculina 6 4
Ammonia 2 3
Nonion 3 3
Amphistegina 2 1
Cibicides 2 1
Elphidium 2 2
Spiroloculina 2 2
Pararotalia 1 1
Pseudoeponides 1 -

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 Quinqueloculina
1 Triloculina
2 1
Ammonia
2
1 Nonion
2 Amphistegina

2 Cibicides
Elphidium
3 6
3 Spiroloculina
Pararotalia
Pseudoeponides sp.

Chart 3 - Overall distribution of Foraminiferans

14.4 Distribution of Corals

Corals are found attached on rocky substratum in inter-tidal and sub-tidal regions.
The Coral distribution in Malvan showed in fig-14.

The density was sparse, hardly exceeding 1-2 colonies per sq. m. All the colonies
were of encrusting type and the height of the colonies rarely exceeded 5 cm. Only hermotypic
corals were found. Coscinarea sp., Cyphastrea sp.; Favites sp.; Goniastrea sp.; Goniopora
sp.; Porites lichen (Fig-15); Porites lutea; Pseudosiderastrea sp.; Synerea sp.; Tubastrea sp.;
and Turbinaria sp. were the coral species recorded. Among them Turbinaria, Tubastrea,
Porites lutea and Porites lichen were the most dominant.

Fig. 14 - Coral distribution in inter- tidal zone Fig. 15 - Colonies of Coral- Porites sp.

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14.5 Factors affecting the coral distribution

At all the three locations (namely Sarjikot, Rajkot and mouth of Kolamb creek) where
corals were found, the wave action was strong and hence at the low tide the water in the
rock pools was fairly turbid. On an average suspended load in the waters was 120 mg/ l,
which is very high compared to other coral reef locations like Gulf of Mannar where a
suspended sediment value of 20 mg/ l was observed during 1998.

In the inter-tidal zone, salinity decreases to < 15 ppt for several months in a year
due to heavy amount of sediment in these waters. Therefore, the occurrence of hermatypic
corals in the inter-tidal zone is interesting because of their ecological adaptations to change in
salinity and turbidity.

Recently (2001), a field survey was carried out for the distribution of corals in
Malvan. The growth of corals in the inter-tidal region is fairly good. I n the low-tide zone, the
growth of corals was found to be affected because of desiccation.

14.6 Benthos

In the current study (1998-99), 39 species of benthic organisms were recorded in

rocky island (Sindhudurg), Malvan Bay and mouth of Kolamb creek. There were 15 species of
polychaetes (fig-16), 12 species of gastropods, 7 species of crustaceans, 4 species of bivalves
and one species of stelleroida. Chart 4 shows the overall distribution of benthic organisms in
Malvan.

1
4

15
7

Polychaetes
12 Gastropoda
Crustacea
Bivalvia
Stelleroidea

Fig. 16 - Benthos – A Polychaeta Chart 4 - Overall distribution of Benthos in

Malvan during 1998- 99

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14.7 Meiofauna

Meiofauna from the inter-tidal and sub-tidal regions comprised 15 metazoan groups.
Meiofaunal density ranged between 20 and 285 nos./ 10cm2. Nematodes were the dominant
group contributing over to 64%, harpacticoid copepods 12.4%, turbellarians 12.1%;
oligochaets 5.2%; polychaetes 3.2%; nemertinians 1.1% and other faunal groups such as
gastrotrichs, ostracods, tardigrades, kinorynchs, foraminiferans and cumaceans were
represented in very low density. The maximum density was recorded at the low tide level
during the pre-monsoon period and minimum density was observed at high tide level during
post-monsoon season.

Considerable fluctuation was observed in the inter-tidal meiofaunal densities due to

seasonal variation in sediment texture and environmental parameters.

14.8 Macrofauna

Macrofauna was represented by 10 groups from inter-tidal and 12 groups from sub-
tidal areas. Table 5 shows qualitative distribution of benthos during pre-monsoon and post-
monsoon. Bivalves formed the most dominant group contributing 38.68%, followed by
crustaceans 27.60%; gastropods 16.98% and polychaetes 15.49%. Sipunculids, oligochaetes,
nematodes and holothurians were the other groups represented in negligible number.

Table 5 - Qualitative distribution of Benthos during pre- monsoon and post-

monsoon
Groups May ‘98 Sept. ‘98 March ’99 May ‘99
Polychaetes 6 3 9 6
Crustaceans 1 3 4 1
Gastropoda 2 7 6 3
Bivalvia 1 2 1 1
Stelleroidea 1 - - -

The density of macro fauna in sub-tidal region ranged from 1000 to 22,020 nos./ m3
and 32 to 616 nos./ m3 in inter-tidal region. The high population density of macro fauna was
recorded from the sub-tidal region during post-monsoon at 10m depth, compared to the
inter-tidal region.

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14.9 Seaw eeds

In the current study (1998-99) totally 32 species were recorded. There were 12
species of rhodophyceae, 11 species of chlorophyceae and 9 species of phaeophyceae
(Chart-5). Table-6 shows the seasonal distribution of seaweeds in Malvan.

9
11

12 Chlorophyceae
Rhodophyceae
Phaeophyceae

Chart 5 - Overall distribution of Seaw eeds

The distribution of seaweeds varied from zone to zone. While Ulva and
Chaetomorpha sp. were observed at upper littoral zone, Caulerpa, Bryopsis, Hypnea, Padina,
Gracilaria and Gelidiopsis were found in mid-littoral zone and Sargassum and Gracilaria in the
lower-littoral zone.

In sub-tidal region, the dominant species were Caulerpa peltata, Sargassum

illicitolium, Amphiroa tragilissima, Padina tetrastomatica, Spatoglossum asperum and
Stocheosporum marginatum.

Table 6 - Seasonal distribution ( no. of species) of seaw eed

Group Sep ‘98 March ‘99 May ‘99

Chlorophyceae 5 8 8
Rhodophyceae 5 8 10
Phaeophyceae 4 9 5

14.10 Mangroves

Mangroves are the salt tolerant forest ecosystems mainly found in tropical and sub-
tropical inter-tidal regions. The Malvan coast is bound by 3 small creeks namely Karli to the
South and Kolamb and Karavali to the North East. A field survey was carried out in Kolamb
creek of Malvan for studying the mangrove distribution and species diversity. 18 species of
mangroves and associated species were recorded in Kolamb creek regions. They are

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Rhizophora mucronta, Sonneratia alba, S. papetala, Avicennia alba, A. marina var., A.
officinalis, Ceriops tagal, Lumnitzera racemosa, Aegiceras corniculatum, Excoecria agallocha,
Acanthus ilicifolus, Derris heterophylla, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Aleuropus lagopoides,
Salvadora persica, Stenophyllus sp., Thesepesia populnea, Clerodendrum inerme. The
dominant species were Avicennia sp., Rhizophora sp., Ceriops sp., Lumnitzera sp., Aegiceras
sp. and Excoecaria sp

Fig. 17 - Mangrove distribution in Fig. 18 - Mangrove vegetation

in Kolamb creek in Kolamb creek

Estimation using remote sensing data and GI S revealed that mangrove area extended
to about 30.4 ha and degraded area to about 1.4 ha in Kolamb creek.

15. Current status of Biodiversity

Earlier reports indicated that 367 species have been recorded in this area. However,
in the current study only 279 species are recorded. The change in the number of species
does not mean the disappearance or extinction of species in the region. The current study
was done only for a period of one year and random sampling methodology was adopted for
data collection. If the observations are repeated on an yearly basis for the next ten years,
then a clear idea will emerge on the extent of the reduction in number of species off Malvan
coast.

Overall status of Marine organisms recorded from the Malvan coast during 1998-99 in
given in Table-7.

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 Table 7 - Marine organisms recorded in 1998- 99
Sl. No. Groups No. of species recorded
1. Phytoplankton
Bacillariophyceae 49
Dinophyceae 8
Cyanophyceae 1
2. Zooplankton
Calanoida 24
Cladocera 2
Cyclopoida 6
Harpacticoida 4
3. Foraminiferans
Quinqueloculina 11
Triloculina 6
Ammonia 3
Nonion 3
Amphistegina 2
Cibicides 2
Elphidium 2
Spiroloculina 2
Pararotalia 1
Pseudoeponides 1
4. Corals 11
5. Polychaetes 15
6. Crustaceans 7
7. Molluscs 16
8. Echinodermata
Stelleroide 1
9. Seaw eeds
Rhodophyceae 12
Chlorophyceae 11
Phaeophyceae 9
10. Mangroves 18
11. Fishes 52
Total 279

16. Fisheries

Malvan is one of the important fishing centres on the West coast. Mackerel and oil-
sardine constitute the major fishery in the West Coast of I ndia. There are four fishing hamlets
in the coastal area of Malvan, viz., – Dhuriwada, Medha, Rewatala and Wairi-dandi. There are
about 175 mechanised crafts (Fig-19) and 227 country boats, operating in the Malvan coast.
The major gears being operated are trawl nets, purse seines, gill nets, dol nets and hook and
line. Coastal waters of Malvan support good demersal fishery. It contributes to a sizeable
portion of the demersal fish production of the Sindhudurg district. The major fish landed in
Malvan comprise, elasmobranchs, clupeids, bombay duck, carangids, sardines, ribbon fish,

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 Fig. 19 - Traw ling operation in Malvan

mackerel, seer fish, pomfret, tunas, penaeid and non-penaeid shrimp, lobsters, crabs and
cephalopods. Total fish catch during 1999-2000 was 13,433 tonnes. Table 8 shows the details
of fish catch in Malvan from 1978 to 2000.

Table 8 - Group- w ise fish catch ( 1978- 79 to 1999- 2000) ( in tonnes)

Sl. Groups 1978- 79 1982- 83 1990- 91 1994- 95 1999-

No. 2000
1. Elasmobranchs 106 653 213 53 73
2. Eels 4 1 - 13 1
3. Cat-fishes 432 1538 92 55 80
4. Wolf-herrings 86 153 25 10 148
5. Sardines 768 952 496 120 880
6. Other Sardines 2 48 3 - -
7. Anchovies - - - - -
8. Silverbellies 1 418 - - -
9. Clupeides 170 - 87 62 8
10. Bombay-duck 1 - - - -
11. Perches 1 1 - - -
12. Red snappers - - - - -
13. Polynemids 2 - - - -
14. Scianeids 10 - 11 - -
15. Ribbon fish 128 776 59 127 57
16. Otolithus 268 609 389 129 993
17. Carangids 337 119 - 24 56
18. Pomfret 35 332 5 65 31
19. Black pomfret 91 285 50 107 117
20. Mackerel 1021 133 118 167 5117
21. Seer fish 1001 119 334 1570 504
22. Mackerels 190 231 - 113 115
23. Unicorn cod - - - - -
24. Soles 17 2 3 - -

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 Sl. Groups 1978- 79 1982- 83 1990- 91 1994- 95 1999-
No. 2000
25. Leiognathus 82 27 1091 13 148
26. Carangids small 175 159 - 370 4859
27. Lactarius 42 246 32 8 -
28. Goat fishes 83 141 - - -
29. Penaeid Prawns 216 930 34 6 41
30. Non-Penaeid Prawn - - - - -
31. Lobsters 1 - - 2 -
32. Cuttle fish - 42 129 590 138
33. Miscellaneous 193 394 216 123 67
Total 5463 8309 3387 3727 13433

17. Socio-Economic Status

There are four fishing villages along the Malvan Coast. The total fishermen population
is 1854, of whom 541 are active fishermen. There are 375 fishermen houses;
175 mechanized crafts; 227 country boats and different types of gears used for fishing.

Gears Season of operation Fishes caught

Shore-seine Rampan Sep. – May All fishes that come near shore
Drift net

Surmai jal March – May & Scomberomorous

Saranga jal September – December Chirocentrus
Kandali Pomfrets
Wawari Smaller pomfrets
Dhangad Scomberomorous
Pomfrets
Scomberomorous
Sciaena
Sharks
Gill Net

Bangada jal March Rastrelliger Kanagurta

Boat Seine jal September – October Sciaene – Arius
Lines wawadi September – May Carcharhindidea
Scoliodon
Sphyrna
Pastinachus
Murenerox

The average fish catch per day per boat varies from 50 to 70 kg. The average income
of a fisherman has been estimated to be about Rs.85/ day. However, the middlemen earn
more than the active fishermen.

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18. Tourism

Malvan is known for its historical heritage and scenic beauty and hence has a good
potential for tourism development. It is famous for the Sindhudurg Fort, standing in open sea

constructed by the Maratha King Chatrapati Shivaji in the 16th century. The fort is declared
as a national monument and is under the control of the “Archaeological Survey of India”.
Several tourists visit this place every year.

19. Major threats of Malvan

The entire ecosystem is unique with 279 species of fauna and flora (1998-99) as
already reported. Following are the major threats identified, which may impair the species
diversity in the Malvan coast.
à Intensive trawling operation around the coast.
à Rampani fishing activities in core zone areas.
à Over exploitation of juveniles (undersized species).
à Illicit felling of Mangrove trees.

20. Suggestions for Resource Management

v Demarcation of core zone and buffer zone for uses and regulations.
v Strict enforcement of Marine Fishing Regulation Act and its provisions which
specify/ restrict use of certain gears, net size, etc., for minimizing damage to
fishing of brood stock and juvenile.
v Protect the interest of the artisanal/ traditional fishermen by restricting the
operation of trawlers, within the zone earmarked for fishing by them. There
should be an uniform zonation for fishing by the traditional fishermen and the
mechanized fishermen in the adjoining coastal states.
v Creation of awareness and capacity building through training among the coastal
communities to accomplish sustainable utilisation of the marine living resources.

21. Conclusion

A comparison of the present data (279 species) with earlier reports (367 species)
from Malvan coast, showed a decrease in floral and faunal diversity. The decrease in faunal
density and diversity could be related to increased human activities. Fishing activities in core
zone areas seem to have destroyed the breeding and nursery grounds.

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 The I nformation System developed by ICMAM-PD on Malvan using GI S especially
mapping of corals, geomorphology, boundary of marine sanctuary and the mangroves using
remote sensing and GI S has demonstrated that these tools can be effectively used for
monitoring and management of coastal zone and health of the resources of the Malvan
Marine Sanctuary.

22. References

1. CMFRI (1987). Seaweed Research and Utilisation in India. Published by P.S.B.R. James,
CMFRI, Bulletin.41: 100-111.

2. CMFRI, (1994). Commercially important fin and shell fishes. CMFRI bulletin No.134: 4-12.

3. Joshi, M. C. 1969. The marine mollusca of the Konkan Coast. Journal of Shivaji University,
2:47-54.

4. Leela J. Bhosale, 1989. Mangroves of Maharastra – An overview. In wetlands, Mangroves

and Biosphere Reserve. Proceeding of the Indo-US Workshop organised by Ministry of
Environment & Forests. New Delhi, 4-7 January 1989.

5. Panikkar.N.K, A.H. Parulekar and A. G. Untawale, 1973. Continental shelf islands of the
Konkan coast. Journal of Indian Geophysical Union, Special Volume, 10: 141-153.

6. Parulekar, A.H, 1966. Cnidae in the actinians of Maharashtra. Journal of Biological

Science, 9: 35-42.

7. Prulekar, A.H. 1969. Neoaiptasia commensali gen et sp. Nov. an actiniarian commensal of
hermit crab. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 6: 57-62.

8. Parulekar, A.H, 1971 (a). A new sea anemone, Cribrinopsis roberti (Endomyaria:
Actiniidae) from Maharashtra and Goa Coast. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society
68: 291-295.

9. Parulekar, A.H., 1971 (b). Polychaetes from Maharashtra and Goa. Journal of Bombay
Natural History Society, 68: 726-749.

10. Parulekar, A.H. 1981, Marine Fauna of Malvan, Central West Coast of I ndia, Mahasagar-
Bulletin of the National Institute of Oceanography, 14(1), 33-44.

11. Qasim, S.Z and M.V.M. Wafar, 1979. Occurrence of living corals at several places along
the West Coast of I ndia. Mahasagar-Bulletin of the National I nstitute of Oceanography,
12: 53-58.

12. Ranade, M.R., 1977. Occurrence of pearl oysters in Ratnagiri district. Journal of Bombay
Natural History Society, 74(3): 553.

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