Challenges in legal protection of Marine Protected Areas in India: a review of literature

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a concept that is widely being promoted as the preservation and conservation of marine resources becomes an increasingly important global issue. MPAs are vital for the preservation of biodiversity and, if managed appropriately, are an efficient means of safeguarding maritime ecosystems. There are currently 25 MPAs in Peninsular India and 104 MPAs in the Islands of India, but for the preservation and conservation of these areas, there is no specific and effective legislation. Even though India, a member of the Convention on Biological Diversity, emphasises a “higher level of protection for marine and coastal biodiversity” compared to other forms, the reality is distant from this. Therefore, managing MPAs in India is a challenging task. This paper will emphasise the challenges in managing MPAs and current legislation and its adequacy in the protection of MPAs in India.