The
reefs of the Gulf of Mannar have been reasonably well-studied
thanks to their proximity to Institutions
like Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Central Salt
and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Madurai Kamaraj University
and Center of Advanced Studies in Marine Biology. So far, a total
of 91 species of corals under 35 genera have been recorded from
these reefs. Other groups that have been studied extensively are
marine algae, echinoderms, mollusks, sponges and polychaetes.
Very
few of the 20 reefs are in reasonably good shape. The northern
islands, especially Kurusadai and Shingle have been heavily impacted
due to collections by college and university students over several
decades. The southern ones near Tuticorin have been affected by
industrial pollutants, especially fly ash and liquid effluents
from onshore industries. Most other reefs have been extensively
mined for coral blocks and debris. With the inclusion of all these
reefs in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, mining has been
almost stopped though clandestine removal is still a possibility.
The
Gulf of Mannar reef formations are of fringing type, developed
around 20 islands located in a chain between Tuticorin (8º48`N;
78º9`E) and Rameswaram (9º14`N; 79º14`E), on the
SE coast of India. The reef around the Rameswaram Island extends
into the Palk Bay as an 8 km long fringing reef along the mainland
coast.
GULF
OF KACHCHH --- GULF
OF MANNAR ---
LAKSHADWEEP ---
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS
GULF
OF MANNAR