Lakshadweep - Darwin Initiative

India's First Co-Managed Marine Conservation Reserve

LEAD partnered with the Bombay Natural History Society, India’s largest and oldest nongovernmental organisation in a three year (2005-2008) Darwin Initiative project in India’s Lakshadweep Islands.

The project was called 'Conserving Giant Clams through a Community Reserve in the Lakshadweep Islands' or 'Project Giant Clam'.

The project aimed to establish a marine marine protected area (MPA) called the 'Agatti Conservation Reserve' in the Agatti atoll, the westernmost landformation in the Lakshadweep archipelago, 500 km from the mainland.

Co-managing Natural Resources

The proposed marine protected area, currently under consideration by the Administrator of Lakshadweep, will be India's first MPA to be co-managed by both the government and the local community.

The local community have a stake in the conservation of their coral reef and the surrounding seas: not only are they protecting the environment, they are also taking responsibility for improving their own livelihoods.

The Agatti islanders depend on the reef's resources to make a living. For example, by sustainably managing local fisheries in the protected area, the islanders hope to restore bait fish stock – small fish used as bait to attract larger, predatory fish. Live bait fish are essential for tuna fishing, which is the economic mainstay of Lakshadweep.

Why the Agatti Atoll?

The Agatti atoll was selected for a number of reasons. The island brings in the most tuna of all the islands in the Lakshadweep archipelago (after Minicoy), and therefore has the most vulnerable live bait fish stocks. Local fishermen had already expressed their concern about the declining bait fish population.

It also has the most significant giant clam population in Lakshadweep. Due to their long life span and ecological requirements, giant clams can be used as a measure of the health of the coral reef. Any changes in the health of the giant clam population can indicate problems elsewhere in the coral reef, including in the bait fish population. A healthy giant clam population reflects a healthy reef, which is good news for the local people making a living from the reef.

LEAD's Role

LEAD’s role is to provide capacity development in leadership and conservation skills. An international team of LEAD Fellows provided expertise: Deepak Apte, Andrea Deri, Krishnendu Bose, Varghese Manaloor, Luis Serra, Girija Godbole, Karen Eden, Anil Agnihotri, Shyam Ramchandra Asolekar.

Contact Andrea Deri or Deepak Apte.

Updated: 18 August 2008