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Elasmobranch Conservation, Challenges and Management Strategy in India : Recommendations from a National Consultative Meeting


Affiliations
1 ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
2 Department of Environmental Studies, Ashoka University, Sonipat 131 029, India
3 9 Aranya Farms, Shilaj, Ahmedabad 382 115, India
4 TRAFFIC India Office, New Delhi 110 003, India
5 Dakshin Foundation, #1818, 9th Cross, 5th Main Road, Sahakar Nagar, Bengaluru 560 092, India
6 Wildlife Conservation Society-India, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, 2nd Phase, Bengaluru 560 097, India
7 Fishery Survey of India, Cochin Base, Kochi 682 005, India
8 Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581, India
9 Zoological Survey of India, Chennai 600 028, India
10 Wildlife Trust of India, Delhi 201 301, India
11 Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru 570 017, India
12 Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Kochi 682 508, India
13 WWF-India, ‘Prasanthi’, Kadavanthra, Kochi 682 020, India
14 Untamed Planet Films, Bengaluru 560 001, India
15 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India
 

Historically, India has been projected as one of the major elasmobranch fishing nations in the world. However, management and conservation efforts are not commensurate with this trend. Along with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, several generic conservation measures are in place at the regional/local level. But India is still a long way from meeting global conservation commitments. We present here the status of elasmobranch management and conservation in India, with the specific objective of identifying the gaps in the existing set-up. We also present recommendations based on a national consultative workshop held at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, in February 2020. We recommend the implementation of a National Plan of Action (NPOA-Sharks) and more inclusive governance and policymaking for elasmobranch conservation in India.

Keywords

Consultative Meeting, Elasmobranch, Fisheries, Management and Conservation, Regulations.
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  • Elasmobranch Conservation, Challenges and Management Strategy in India : Recommendations from a National Consultative Meeting

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Authors

K. V. Akhilesh
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
Shoba Joe Kizhakudan
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
M. Muktha
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
T. M. Najmudeen
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
Sujitha Thomas
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
Divya Karnad
Department of Environmental Studies, Ashoka University, Sonipat 131 029, India
Dipani Sutaria
9 Aranya Farms, Shilaj, Ahmedabad 382 115, India
Merwyn Fernandes
TRAFFIC India Office, New Delhi 110 003, India
Trisha Gupta
Dakshin Foundation, #1818, 9th Cross, 5th Main Road, Sahakar Nagar, Bengaluru 560 092, India
Naveen Namboothri
Dakshin Foundation, #1818, 9th Cross, 5th Main Road, Sahakar Nagar, Bengaluru 560 092, India
Vardhan Patankar
Wildlife Conservation Society-India, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, 2nd Phase, Bengaluru 560 097, India
Swatipriyanka Sen
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
Sijo P. Varghese
Fishery Survey of India, Cochin Base, Kochi 682 005, India
A. Biju Kumar
Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581, India
Alissa Barnes
Dakshin Foundation, #1818, 9th Cross, 5th Main Road, Sahakar Nagar, Bengaluru 560 092, India
K. K. Bineesh
Zoological Survey of India, Chennai 600 028, India
Sajan John
Wildlife Trust of India, Delhi 201 301, India
Mayuresh Gangal
Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru 570 017, India
M. Hashim
Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Kochi 682 508, India
Vinod Malayilethu
WWF-India, ‘Prasanthi’, Kadavanthra, Kochi 682 020, India
Zoya Tyabji
Wildlife Conservation Society-India, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, 2nd Phase, Bengaluru 560 097, India
Malaika Vaz
Untamed Planet Films, Bengaluru 560 001, India
Sandhya Sukumaran
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
G. B. Purushottama
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
Livi Wilson
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
V. Mahesh
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
Rekha J. Nair
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
L. Remya
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
Shikha Rahangdale
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
P. P. Manojkumar
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
K. Sivakumar
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India
E. Vivekanandan
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
P. U. Zacharia
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India
A. Gopalakrishnan
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi 682 018, India

Abstract


Historically, India has been projected as one of the major elasmobranch fishing nations in the world. However, management and conservation efforts are not commensurate with this trend. Along with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, several generic conservation measures are in place at the regional/local level. But India is still a long way from meeting global conservation commitments. We present here the status of elasmobranch management and conservation in India, with the specific objective of identifying the gaps in the existing set-up. We also present recommendations based on a national consultative workshop held at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, in February 2020. We recommend the implementation of a National Plan of Action (NPOA-Sharks) and more inclusive governance and policymaking for elasmobranch conservation in India.

Keywords


Consultative Meeting, Elasmobranch, Fisheries, Management and Conservation, Regulations.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv124%2Fi3%2F292-303