India is set to implement the National Plan of Action (NPOA) for shark conservation – this will be the key step for the preservation of these awesome creatures in our waters. There was a recent meeting in which experts, government officials, and the environmentalists came together and worked to agree on this crucial plan.
As the draft of the NPOA underlines, the watershed priorities include legal frameworks, capacity building, and research, which all are to help with successful shark management and conservation. The plan suggested includes the legal frameworks of waters between 12 nautical miles and 200 nautical miles, the logbook system, and making the fishermen fully aware of the sustainable practices.
Neetu Kumari, a Joint Secretary at the Department of Fisheries, brought to light the collaborative efforts in developing the NPOA which was a process involving, among others, fisher associations, research bodies, and NGOs.
Mr. P. Krishnan, the director of the Bay of Bengal Programme, also highlighted the importance of creating sustainable fishing practices that will ensure shark populations will last for a long time and to also support coastal communities.
As a senior officer of the UN FAO, Ms. Kim Friedman highlighted the necessity of attention from stakeholders and coordinated efforts in conservation. Proposals that include data collection, habitat mapping, and detailed action plans, among other things, were also taken up during the discussion.
The implementation of the National Plan of Action is an indication of India’s willingness to preserve marine biodiversity while offering support to the communities whose livelihoods are derived from shark fisheries.
