Marine Protected Areas
(Photo: Anant Pande, Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal)
Marine Protected Area
A marine protected area (MPA) is essentially a space in the ocean where human activities are more strictly regulated than the surrounding waters - similar to parks we have on land. These places are given special protections for natural or historic marine resources by local, state, territorial, native, regional, or national authorities.
List of Marine Protected Areas in Peninsular India
|
S. No.
|
State
|
Name of Protected Area
|
Notification Year
|
Area (in km2)
|
|
1
|
Tamil Nadu
|
Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay
|
2022
|
448.34
|
|
2
|
Tamil Nadu
|
Gulf of Mannar Marine Park (21 Islands)
Reserve Land - 623.12 Ha +
Sea area - 51978.88 Ha
|
1986
|
526.02
|
|
3
|
Tamil Nadu
|
Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary
"Block -A'and "Block -B"
|
2013
|
124.07
|
|
4
|
Tamil Nadu
|
Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary
|
1967
|
17.29
|
|
5
|
Tamil Nadu
|
Pulicat Lake Birds Sanctuary
|
1980
|
153.67
|
|
6
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
Coringa
|
1978
|
235.7
|
|
7
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
Krishna
|
1989
|
194.81
|
|
8
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
Pulicat Lake
|
1980
|
600
|
|
9
|
Daman & Diu
|
Fudam
|
1991
|
2.18
|
|
10
|
Goa
|
Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary (Chorao Island)
|
1988
|
1.78
|
|
11
|
Gujarat
|
Marine (Gulf of Kachchh)
|
1995
|
162.89
|
|
12
|
Gujarat
|
Marine (Gulf of Kachchh)
|
1980
|
295.03
|
|
13
|
Gujarat
|
Khijadia
|
1981
|
6.05
|
|
14
|
Kerala
|
Kadalundi Vallikkunnu
|
2007
|
1.5
|
|
15
|
Maharashtra
|
Malvan Marine
|
1987
|
29.12
|
|
16
|
Maharashtra
|
Thane Creek Flamingo
|
2015
|
16.905
|
|
17
|
Odisha
|
Bhitarkanika
|
1998
|
145
|
|
18
|
Odisha
|
Bhitarkanika
|
1975
|
525
|
|
19
|
Odisha
|
Chilka (Nalaban)
|
1987
|
15.53
|
|
20
|
Odisha
|
Gahirmatha
|
1997
|
1435
|
|
21
|
Odisha
|
Balukhand Konark
|
1984
|
71.72
|
|
22
|
West Bengal
|
Sundarbans
|
1984
|
1330.1
|
|
23
|
West Bengal
|
West Sundarbans
|
2013
|
556.45
|
|
24
|
West Bengal
|
Haliday Island
|
1976
|
5.95
|
|
25
|
West Bengal
|
Sajnakhali
|
1976
|
362.4
|
|
26
|
West Bengal
|
Lothian Island
|
1976
|
38
|
|
Total Marine Protected Areas in Peninsular India
|
7,300.51
|
List of Marine Protected Areas in Islands of India (as on July 2024)
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
|
S. No.
|
Name of Protected Area
|
Area
(in km2)
|
Notification Year
|
|
1
|
Arial Island Sanctuary
|
0.05
|
1987
|
|
2
|
Bamboo Island Sanctuary
|
0.05
|
1987
|
|
3
|
Barren Island Sanctuary
|
8.10
|
1997
|
|
4
|
Battimalve Island Sanctuary
|
2.23
|
1985
|
|
5
|
Belle Island Sanctuary
|
0.08
|
1987
|
|
6
|
Benette Island Sanctuary
|
3.46
|
1987
|
|
7
|
Bingham Island Sanctuary
|
0.08
|
1987
|
|
8
|
Blister Island Sanctuary
|
0.26
|
1987
|
|
9
|
Bluff Island Sanctuary
|
1.14
|
1987
|
|
10
|
Bondoville Island Sanctuary
|
2.55
|
1987
|
|
|