Rare marine life sighted from Mahalaxmi shoreline

A report on the intertidal biodiversity along the Mahalaxmi shoreline in south Mumbai by independent marine biologist Gaurav Patil has identified two species of hard corals (Paracyathus and Cladangia exusta).

South Mumbai residents and a marine biologist have requested the state to protect areas around the Mahalaxmi Bay, as Coastal Road reclamation work has begun in the area.

Honeycomb moray. (Gaurav Patil)

A report on the intertidal biodiversity along the Mahalaxmi shoreline in south Mumbai by independent marine biologist Gaurav Patil has identified two species of hard corals (Paracyathus and Cladangia exusta). Corals are protected under schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the same protection status as that of a tiger or an elephant. Rare species such sea urchins, honeycomb moray eel, 12 species of sea slugs, six species of crustaceans along with gastropods and echinoderms were all documented across Mahalaxmi Bay between September 2019 and March 2020.

“The environment impact assessment report only had brief details of marine biodiversity along the south Mumbai coastline and did not document specific areas that have rare and protected species. We need to have an overall perspective of what is at stake before commencing development activities,” said Patil.

Hypselodoris Zebrina.

Meanwhile, residents from the Maha Goolestan Co-op Housing Society on Bhulabhai Desai Road shared a letter they wrote to environment minister Aaditya Thackeray last week. “We have requested the state to avoid reclaiming the Mahalaxmi Bay area which is an economically important and sensitive fishing zone, home to corals, gastropods, bivalve species, and a roosting area for migratory birds. However, some of these zones have already been reclaimed over the weekend,” a residents said.

The 9.9-km current phase of the ₹12,969-crore project, will include an eight-lane highway, which will connect Marine Drive to the southern end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. Reclamation activity has been undertaken from Nariman Point to Worli. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said they would ensure the biodiversity in the area is protected. “We are in constant consultation with the National Institute of Oceanography and ecologists appointed by our contractor who is guiding us to avoid environmentally sensitive zones during reclamation,” said Vijay Nighot, chief engineer, BMC’s coastal road project