The enforcement of coastal management practices plan for conservation and restoration of mangroves along the sea coast is gaining momentum.
Special measures initiated by the district administration along the Roche Park warrants sustained growth of mangrove vegetation.
The efforts made by the park care-takers has paved way for improving facilities for attracting the visitors who enjoy the marine scenery with plenty of green mangrove vegetation.
The expansion of park area with soil barriers facilitated the establishment of the stunted mangrove vegetation in this area.
Due attention given by the authorities helped settling and spreading of the mangrove saplings to a larger extent, J.D.Jameson, former Director of Research and Extension, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Tuticorin, said here on Thursday.
First marine biosphere reserve
“Tuticorin being the first marine biosphere reserve of the south and southeast Asia, the flourishing mangrove vegetation provides asylum to a number of brackish water crab species, molluscs, including the green edible crab scylla serrata, species of fish and other tiny invertebrates for sheltering, breeding, laying eggs and for the release of their seeds.
Mangrove serves as a live fence against high velocity wind and wave action. More importantly, the impact of tsunami could be minimised,” he said.
Native mangrove plants like Avicennia marina and A.officinalis were once found abundant to protect the coastal environment from pollution, but over the years, marine pollutants hindered their from proliferation. Hyper saline condition of sea water due to intrusion of salt pan effluents, discharge of sewage, dumping of fly ash and the accidental spillage of oil were some of the threats which crushed the growth of mangroves along the sea coast, Dr.Jameson hinted.
Timely measures
Appropriate and timely measures taken up by the authorities certainly helped the mangrove forestry to sustain well in the park area.
