Blue sea, coral reefs and colorful swimming fish. When you think of such places under the sea, you can see places like the Great Barrier Reef or the Andaman-Lakshadweep in India.
But even in our Konkan, there is a place that is somewhat parallel to the beach. Her name is Angria Bank.
Known as Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre, the chief of the Maratha Armory, this place is a treasure hidden in the sea.
Surrounded by a variety of fish and corals, this place is a magical underwater world.
This is an overview of what Angria Bank is like, how the sea in Konkan has become prosperous because of it and what efforts are being made for the conservation of this place.
How was Angria Bank formed?
Angria Bank is a type of coral reef, about 110 km off the coast of Malvan and 105 km off the coast of Ratnagiri.
It is an underwater plateau. Its size is about 2011 square kilometers.
The Angria Bank is relatively shallower than the surrounding sea and has a depth of at least 24 meters to an average of 28 meters. The depth of the sea increases on both sides of the Angria Bank and in some places it is as deep as four hundred meters.
This region is part of the continental shelf. This means that this part was once on the water during the ice age. Then, about 11,650 years ago, when the last ice age ended, sea level rose and the area went under water.
Over the thousands of years since then, coral reefs and marine life have gradually flourished, and this coral island has taken shape.
At present, there are about one and a half thousand square kilometers of coral habitat. This means a slightly larger space than Mumbai.
Why is Angria Bank important?
Angria Bank is very important in terms of history, culture and biodiversity, says marine biologist Vardhan Patankar. Patankar has done research on the corals of Angria Bank.
"The area was used by Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre, the head of the Maratha armada, in the 18th century. "
That is why this area is named Kanhoji Angre. I mean, people have known about this place since time immemorial.
But how rich Angria Bank is in terms of biodiversity has become even clearer with recent campaigns. Marine biologists from the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation's IISDA in Malvan, a scuba diving training institute, the Kandalvan division of the state government, and CMLRE in Kerala, an organization under the Ministry of Economy, have conducted research in the area.
Vardhan Patankar had led the team of Wildlife Conservation Society of India in the 2019 expedition. The team had dived in the area 66 times in ten days and recorded about one and a half hundred species.
"The biodiversity here is unique. We have found many species like sharks, more eels, cooper fish and also observed coral colonies.
"Of course, only ten percent of the research has been done so far, and much more remains to be done."
Birthplace of fish
The coral habitat and the somewhat protected area of the open sea are home to fish. In a way, it has become the birthplace of fish.
Fishing in Konkan also depends on the biodiversity of Angria Bank, says Patankar.
"Mechanical fishing trawlers cannot come here. This has given more protection to the fish. The fish come here for breeding and that is why Angria Bank is a big reason for the abundance of fish we get."
Thousands of people in the coastal region of Maharashtra depend on this fish for their livelihood and a large section of the population gets essential protein from it. So if the biodiversity on Angria Bank is destroyed, it will affect all of them.
Problems in the protection of Angria Bank
Due to global warming, Angria Bank, like other coral islands around the world, has a sword hanging over it, and environmentalists feel that efforts should be made to save the coral.
Patankar says, "There is a naval presence in the region. There were also proposals for drilling for oil and natural gas. All this poses a threat to the corals on the Angria Bank. But at present, the site is not protected by law."
"But the protection of Angria Bank is needed as it is the only coral reef left in Maharashtra and it would be unfortunate to allow it to be destroyed."
After many years of efforts, last year the Maharashtra government had given the green light to the proposal to declare this place as a protected area. With the consent of the Central Government, Angria Bank can get sanctuary status.
If that happened then it would be a big step forward. This is because Angria Bank falls in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India.
Twelve nautical miles (22 kilometers) of sea is considered to be the maritime boundary of the country. The area up to 200 nautical miles from the coast is considered to be the exclusive economic zone of the country, which has the right to maritime resources and can be mined here for natural gas or oil.
Angria Bank could be the first marine sanctuary in the EEZ in India, after which other sites in the area could also get legal protection
There is also talk of developing Angria Bank in terms of tourism. But while doing such development, we have to control how many people go here, says Patankar.
But you can conserve this place without going to sea. For this, emphasis should be laid on prevention of sea pollution.
Patankar says, "We often forget about the sea or we just throw everything straight into the sea. But before we do that, it can make a difference if we stop and think a little.
"The use of plastics has increased, especially during the Covid period. But it is also important that the waste is disposed of properly. So when throwing away masks, it is important to think about the effect it will have on marine life."
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