Gulf of Mannar
| Gulf of Mannar | |
|---|---|
 Location of Gulf of Mannar within the Indian Ocean | |
  Gulf of Mannar Location of Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka | |
| Location | Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | 8°28′N 79°01′E / 8.47°N 79.02°E |
| Basin countries | India, Sri Lanka |
| Max. length | 160 km (99 mi) |
| Max. width | 130–275 km (81–171 mi) |
| Surface area | 10,500 km2 (4,100 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 5.8 m (19 ft) |
| Max. depth | 1,335 m (4,380 ft) |
| References | [1][2] |
The Gulf of Mannar ( (sea cow) is found here.
Conservation
Marine sanctuary
Located on the southeastern tip of the subcontinent, the Gulf of Mannar is known to harbour over 3,600 species of flora and fauna, making it one of the richest coastal regions in Asia. Around 117 hard
In 1986, a group of 21 islets lying off the Tamil Nadu coast between
Biosphere reserve
The
In May 2019, The National Centre for Coastal Research, an institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences of India, which has a field research station in the Gulf of Mannar region, found an alarming pattern of bleaching in the reefs in Mandapam, Kilakarai and Palk Bay. Researchers observed a pattern of bleaching in corals when the temperatures rose to between 32 °C and 36 °C.[6]Marine activities
The Gulf of Mannar is known for its pearl banks of Pinctada radiata and Pinctada fucata for at least 2,000 years. Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE) praised the pearl fishery of the gulf as one of the most productive in the world.[7][8][9] Although extraction of natural pearls is considered too expensive in most parts of the world, it is still carried out in the gulf.[10]
The chief seaports on the Gulf of Mannar are Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) in Tamil Nadu, and Colombo in Sri Lanka. While these ports can accommodate deep-draft vessels, the shallow Palk Strait can only accommodate small shallow-draft vessels. In July 2005, the Indian Government took preliminary steps to go ahead with the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project, which would create a deep channel linking the Gulf of Mannar to the Bay of Bengal. Project boosters emphasize the benefits of a direct shipping route that connects India's east and west coasts without the long trip around Sri Lanka; environmentalists have warned against the grave damage such a project could cause to the sea life and fisheries of the Palk Strait and the Gulf.
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-81-313-0407-5.
- ^ Gulf of Mannar, Great Soviet Encyclopedia (in Russian)
- ^ Gulf of Mannar (SE India), Sea-Seek.
- ^ Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta Sastri. (1979). South India and South-East Asia: studies in their history and culture. Geetha Book House.
- ^ UNDP Project brief: "Conserve and Sustainable-use of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve's Coastal Biodiversity", New York, 1994 UNDP Project Brief Archived 16 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Desikan, Shubashree (22 May 2019). "Coral bleaching observed near Mandapam, Keezhakkarai, Palk Bay". The Hindu.
- ^ R. Raghu Prasad and P. V. Ramachandran Nair (1973). "India and the Indian Ocean Fisheries" (PDF). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India. 15: 1–19.
- ISBN 81-206-1335-X.
- ISBN 978-1-110-87096-7.
- ISBN 0-7506-5856-8.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
