Kavaratti Island project
Aug. 10th, 2010 10:12 pmConstruction of an environmental education center in exchange for the establishment of a 500-acre marine protected area for a duration of 10 years.
The Lakshadweep Archipelago lies in the Arabian Sea at a distance of 155 to 280 miles from the west coast of India. Lakshadweep is considered the smallest Union Territory of India with a population of approximately 60,000 people inhabiting 11 of the 36 islands. Karavatti is the capital and the most centrally located island in the archipelago, with a land area of approximately nine acres and a permanent population of 10,119.
The reefs and lagoons of Kavaratti are under severe anthropogenic threats, namely increased lagoon fishing, waste release to lagoons and increasing tourism activities.
Lakshadweep Marine Research and Conservation Centre (LMRCC) is a local organization committed to conservation and sustainable development of Lakshadweep's coral reef ecosystems. LMRCC has requested support from Seacology to construct an environmental education center. In exchange, the local community will set aside 500 acres of Kayaratti Lagoon as a marine reserve, where marine species will be protected for a minimum duration of 10 years.