Parliament Question: Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3993 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 12TH AUGUST, 2026 ADVANCED MARINE STATION FOR OCEAN BIOLOGY

3993. SHRI KRISHNA PRASAD TENNETI:

SHRI PRAVEEN PATEL:

SHRI VISHWESHWAR HEGDE KAGERI:

SHRI AMAR SHARADRAO KALE:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is undertaking programmes for assessment and monitoring of marine living resources in country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the number of scientific surveys conducted during the last three years for estimation of fishery resources and marine biodiversity;

(c) whether the data generated through these surveys are being used to support sustainable fisheries management and marine conservation and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the steps taken by the Government to strengthen scientific research and monitoring of marine ecosystems in Indian waters? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) Yes. The Government of India, through the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, implements a comprehensive programme to assess and monitor Marine Living Resources (MLR) in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), aligned with the institutions' mandate.

(b) In the last three years (2023–2026), CMLRE has undertaken ~19 surveys for the assessment of fishery resources and marine biodiversity in the Indian EEZ.

(c) Yes. Scientific data generated through CMLRE is being utilised to support sustainable MLR management, marine conservation, and evidence-based policy formulation. Key applications include the estimation of the potential fishery yield of the Indian EEZ (conducted every eight years), identification of ESBAs (Ecologically & Biologically Significant Areas), development of biodiversity inventories and genomic reference libraries, identification of fish spawning grounds and seasons, submission of data for national and international commitments (including the Convention on Biological Diversity and SDG-14), and publication of scientific reports on deep sea and distant-water fishery resources of the Indian EEZ.(d) The steps/initiatives to strengthen scientific research, ecosystem monitoring, and long-term assessment of marine living resources in Indian waters are elaborated below.

 Long-term observations and marine ecosystem monitoring, also as part of the MLR Programme, covering fishery resources, biodiversity, and environmental drivers across the Indian EEZ, and their assessment and mapping.

 Bhavasagara National Repository for long-term preservation and documentation of deep-sea biological specimens.  Advanced scientific technologies and genomic reference libraries, including digitisation of collections and data to support modern taxonomic and biodiversity research.

 Capacity building and collaboration with national and international institutions in marine sciences.  Scientific studies for supporting conservation of vulnerable marine ecosystems and the sustainable management of marine living resources aligned to national priorities and international commitments.

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