Tidepooling eco-tourism initiatives to come up at 8 locations on Konkan Coast

Tide-pooling is an outdoor activity along the shoreline during low-tide in which hidden biodiversity is observed at close quarters

The Maharashtra forest department’s Mangrove Foundation has identified eight locations on the Konkan coast in the state for promoting ‘rocky tidepool eco-tourism’, an activity which has been growing in popularity thanks to the work of scientists and experts, particularly the Marine Life of Mumbai collective. Tide-pooling is an outdoor activity along the shoreline during low-tide in which this hidden biodiversity is observed at close quarters

A study has found a wide range of sea creatures with 303 coastal species overall across the rocky tide pools in eight locations on the Konkan coast in Maharashtra. (Sourced)

Now, the state government plans to promote this activity at three rocky beaches in Sindhudurg district, including Tambeldeg, Kunkeshwar and Bhogwe, and five in Ratnagiri district, namely Katghar, Hedvi, Kharviwada, Velas and Velneshwa. To identify these sites, a survey was carried out by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) under its Small Grants Programme. Researchers surveyed 45 rocky coastal areas and selected 25 locations with a continuous 500-metre-long rocky coastline for this study, which was conducted over three seasons; pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon.

The study was thought of from the point of view to assess biodiversity, but the results went a step ahead to show the emergence of ecotourism opportunities. (Sourced)

The study - Documentation of fauna from Tide pool ecosystems along the Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg Coast, Maharashtra - led by Goldin Quadros, Shirish Manchi and Siddhesh Bhave found a wide range of sea creatures with 303 coastal species overall across these rocky tide pools. This included 30 seaweed and algae species, 80 phytoplankton species, 73 zooplankton species, 90 species of megafauna, both vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes) and invertebrates (crustaceans, echinoderms, annelids, amphipods among others), as well as 30 bird species, across the two coastal Konkan districts covering 288km.

“While this study was thought of from the point of view to assess biodiversity, the results of this study went a step ahead to show the emergence of ecotourism opportunities. We are assessing the feasibility of introducing this activity across these eight locations by involving the local community, and further plans are being developed for this based on the study. This has the potential to reduce the loss of ocean biodiversity, provide bio-remedial treatments to clean up some areas of the ocean, and provide local fishing communities with a new source of income” said Virendra Tiwari, additional principal chief conservator of forests (mangrove cell).