- Corals are included in Schedule-I list of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972: Ministry of Environment and Forest vide its notification dated 11 July 2001 has included all the hard coral in the Schedule List of WLPA of 1972
- Environment Protection Act, 1986 (EPA): It confers exclusive jurisdiction to the Central Government to preserve and protect the marine environment and to prevent and control marine pollution.
- Coastal Regulation Zone Notification (CRZ) 1991 under the EPA: It is the only law that explicitly outlaws coral mining in India.
- Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): to preserve the certain areas of the nation’s waters, including some areas with coral reefs.
• There are a total five coral reef MPAs in India:
o Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve which includes Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park,
o Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park,
o Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park in Andamans,
o Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve; and
o Rani Jhansi Marine National (Richies Archipelago).
• No take zones (NTZs) are areas designated in a number of the world’s MPAs, where all forms of exploitation are prohibited and severely limits human activities. These no take zones can cover an entire MPA, or specific portions.
GLOBAL PROTECTION MEASURES
- Aichi Target 10 — which concerns reducing pressures on coral reefs and other vulnerable ecosystems impacted by climate change or ocean acidification
- The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) is an operational network of ICRI (International Coral Reef Initiative)with the primary task of reporting on the condition of the world’s coral reefs.
