{"id":361566,"date":"2026-04-25T21:08:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T15:38:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=361566"},"modified":"2026-04-25T21:08:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T15:38:24","slug":"transferring-equity-to-coastal-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/transferring-equity-to-coastal-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"Transferring equity to coastal communities"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPSC Syllabus: Gs Paper 3- <\/strong>Environment And Gs Paper 2<\/strong>-mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n

India\u2019s conservation framework has remained land-centric for decades, while the 7,516-km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)<\/strong> remain under-utilised despite legal provisions. The marine sector operates on an extraction-only model without benefit-sharing<\/strong>, creating inequity for coastal communities. This gap leads to loss of economic sovereignty<\/strong>, especially as the global bio-economy shifts towards marine genetic resources and digital value systems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Structural Features of India<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s Marine Sector<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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  1. Land-centric governance:<\/strong> India\u2019s biodiversity framework mainly focuses on forests, crops, and medicinal plants.<\/li>\n
  2. Strong land-based systems:<\/strong> Well-defined protocols exist for forest genetics, flora, and inland cultivars<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  3. Weak marine focus:<\/strong> Marine biodiversity lacks similar operational systems despite the existence of law.<\/li>\n
  4. Under-utilised coastline and EEZ:<\/strong> The 7,516-km coastline and vast Exclusive Economic Zone remain un-operationalised<\/strong> in practice.<\/li>\n
  5. Policy\u2013implementation gap:<\/strong> Legal provisions exist, but effective execution in marine areas is missing<\/strong>, creating a regulatory gap.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Core Issue with India<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s Marine Sector<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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    1. Extraction-only model:<\/strong> The marine sector operates on large-scale wild catch extraction without benefit-sharing<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    2. Export-driven harvesting:<\/strong> Thousands of tonnes of marine resources are harvested annually to sustain the export industry.<\/li>\n
    3. Absence of ABS framework:<\/strong> The Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) system is missing in the marine aqua sector<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    4. No returns to fishermen:<\/strong> Coastal fishermen with knowledge of species like Yellowfin Tuna and Tiger Prawn <\/strong>receive no share in genetic or economic value<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    5. Unequal treatment:<\/strong> Forest communities receive compensation even for small resources, but coastal communities are excluded from benefits<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    6. Fundamental inequity:<\/strong> This creates a clear imbalance between land and marine stakeholders<\/strong>, despite both being primary conservators.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Legal and Policy Shift (2023\u20132025 Reforms)<\/strong><\/p>\n

      (a) Recognition of Oceans as Strategic Assets:<\/strong><\/p>\n