UNIT 3 Marine Resource

Topic : Marine resources development (Definition and significance)
INTRODUCTION
Simply, marine resources are both biotic and abiotic resources found in the oceanic water
and bottoms are called marine resources.The marine resources are unique in the sense that
they are renewable as most of the organisms can be regenerated. Human has been using
oceans in a number of ways since long for example, transportation, communication and
trade, fishing, defence purposes, mineral extraction, recreation, medicines, waste disposal
etc. Presently, the importance of oceans has increased many folds because of increased
demand of food and minerals consequent upon ever-increasing world population. This has
resulted in excessive exploitation of marine resources beyond traditional use, which has
been further aggravated due to advancement in technologies and scientific development.
Marine resources can also be defined as materials and attributes found in the ocean that are
considered to have value. That value can be intrinsic, or monetary. They include a huge
number of things: biological diversity, fish and seafood supplies, oil and gas, minerals, sand
and gravel, renewable energy resources, tourism potential, and unique ecosystems like
coral reefs. The resources found in oceans include potassium, manganese, limestone,
gypsum, phosphate, gold, tin, titanium and even diamond.These resources can have great
monetary value, and even when they don't, the uniqueness and opportunity for education
and human enrichment cannot be quantified. The way we manage and use these resources
is therefore of great importance.Oceans, seas, islands and coastal areas are critical
components of the earth’s ecosystem for global food security in general and for sustaining
economic prosperity and the well-being of developing countries in particular. The marine
environment, oceans, seas and adjacent coastal areas, with their opportunities for
sustainable development form an essential component of the global life support system.
CURRENT SITUATION OF MARINE RESOURCES

Food and Agriculture organisation website reads ,” Many of the coastal States signatory to
this Convention have not yet adequately evaluated the potential of the resources at their
disposal, nor developed strategies for allocating to their own citizens the rights to, and
responsibilities for, the marine resources within the maritime zones under their respective
jurisdictions or sovereignty (notably, Exclusive Economic Zones). Nor have they all decided on
conditions of access to foreign fishing vessels. Still fewer have developed frameworks for
necessary collaboration with neighbouring countries sharing the same unit resources and
protecting their common marine environment.”
It adds that,” Experience has shown that removing an excessively high proportion of such a
continuously harvested renewable resource will compromise its sustainability and therefore
the supply of food to future generations of human beings. For this reason, the concepts of
conservation, development and access need to be reconciled before serious progress can be
achieved in marine resource management.”
The present rate of use of marine resources would mean that the planet will soon exhaust
the availability of these resources. Further, the rising levels of pollution of oceans and seas is
affecting the health of the marine resources to the point of no resources. The situation
necessitates the need to use them more cautiously and also take simultaneous pro-active
steps to reduce pollution and revive the health of the marine ecosystem.
EXPANSE OF INDIAN COASTLINE AND RESOURCES IN INDIAN OCEAN

India is an integral part of central Indian ocean region consisting of three distinct marine
ecosystem zones such as Arabian sea, Bay of Bengal, and Indian ocean to its south. India
having such vast marine resources in the form of coastline (8000km), exclusive economic
zone(EEZ, 2.02million km2) and various ecosystems of coastal areas including estuary, coral
reefs, marshes, mangroves, lagoons, rocky and sandy areas. The Andaman and Nicobar
Islands, Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh and Lakshwadeep islands also fall within the
marine waters of EEZ of India. The richness of minerals is significant as it contributes to the
mineral reserves of India. It holds rich reserves many minerals that are also commercially
viable especially thorium and uranium found along the western coast of India.
SIGNIFICANCE OF MARINE RESOURCES

Significance of marine environment cannot be stated exclusively in economic or monetary
terms. The benefits it offers goes beyond and contributes extensively to maintain the
ecological balance in more than one way. The resources offered by marine ecosystem is
renewable in nature but it’s over-exploitation at the existing rates is alarming and can
potentially make the reserves run dry which necessitates it’s sustainable use to ensure well-
being of both the ecology and also the communities which comes to depend on them. These
non-renewable resources offered by marine ecosystem can be classified as physical,
biological, and non-extractive.
1. Physical Resources includes minerals, petroleum, natural gas, sand & gravel etc.
2. Biological Resources consists of living animals (fish, crabs etc) and plants collected
for human use.
3. Non-extractive services includes Marine tourism & recreation, Waste disposal
absorption & detoxification, Carbon capture & storage, nutrient cycling,
Transportation of people and commodities by sea. These services are intangible but
have a more profound impact on the ecosystem
Broadly, marine resources are also classified into living resources and non-living
resources. Alternatively, marine resources can also be divided into mineral resources,
energy resources and food resources.
ROLE OF MARINE RESOURCES
The role of marine resources cannot be understated by just citing it as a source of livelihood
and mineral reserves to steer economic growth but it goes beyond. The role of marine
ecosystem is far more. It contributes tremendously for maintaining the ecological balance
and also mitigates the impact of climate change seeing the current rate of emission of
greenhouse gases(GHGs). It acts as carbon sink and absorbs about 50% more carbon-di-
oxide than atmosphere. Inspite of this, human activities are more oriented towards
economic growth and progress at the cost of compromising the health of marine ecosystem.
The current growth rate has caused a lot of irrepairable damage to the ecology and
preventive steps should therefore be the prerogative of all governmental and other
concerned institutions. Of the 17 sustainable development goals(SDGs) 14 th reads,” life
below water”. The official wording is to "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and
marine resources for sustainable development".
Of the numerous role marine ecosystem plays, a few has been enlisted below:
1. Sustainable development: Marine resources from Indian Ocean can serve as the

backbone of India’s economic growth and can help India to become a 5 trillion dollar
economy by 2022. Blue economy, through sustainable use of oceans, has great
potential for boosting the economic growth.
2. Employment generation: It will provide jobs, improved livelihoods to many. This will
help in inclusive growth. For example, improving fishery resources exploitation can
provide livelihood to many.
3. Food security: It will lead to food security through fishery sector and other sea food
resources. It would also help in reducing malnutrition issue in India as fishes are
good source of nutrition.
4. Energy security: It will help in diversification of energy resources and will provide
new resources for energy for example, gas hydrates, new variety of fisheries and
other mineral through underwater exploration.
5. Efficient transportation and logistics: Indian Ocean is a major gateway of trade with

80% of global oil trade happening through it. Better connectivity in the region will
significantly cut the transport cost and will reduce logistics inefficiencies.
6. Climate Change: Oceans provide an alternate and more cleaner source of energy. It

also act as an important carbon sink. This will help in mitigating climate change.
7. Water scarcity: Oceans are also viewed as source of water when mankind is staring
at a global water scarcity. With emerging technology, the saline water of the oceans
can be converted into portable drinking water.
CONCLUSION
It has now increasingly becoming clearer that the need to conserve marine resources is
necessary both environmentally and ecologically as it is known that it contributes over
3trillion$ per year or about 5% of global GDP.It is beyond doubt that if the present rate of
growth of world population continues, the demand for world supply of food would also
increase proportionately in future, which cannot be met with land sources alone. Thus, one
has to look towards marine food resources.It is evident that the pressure on marine
resources would increase in future, therefore it is necessary to initiate necessary suitable
steps for exploitation, utilization, conservation and preservation of marine resources. It is
therefore imperative for the world community to initiate concrete and effective steps to
keep the oceanic water free from pollution in the interest of both marine biological
community and human community. It is known to us that Marine organisms do not honour
any artificial boundary fixed by man because they freely move in different areas of seas both
horizontally and vertically. International cooperation is the need of hour in this regard.
As is defined, Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the

present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.It is certainly difficult considering the needs of different people but achievable.
This necessitates that global community moves uni-directionally to achieve sustainable
development to return to the future generation a world that is more balanced and
sustainable.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. https://www.iisd.org/about-iisd/sustainable-development
2. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal14
3. https://www.britannica.com/place/Indian-Ocean/Economic-aspects

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Topic : Marine resources development (Definition and significance)

CURRENT SITUATION OF MARINE RESOURCES

EXPANSE OF INDIAN COASTLINE AND RESOURCES IN INDIAN OCEAN

SIGNIFICANCE OF MARINE RESOURCES

1. Sustainable development: Marine resources from Indian Ocean can serve as the

5. Efficient transportation and logistics: Indian Ocean is a major gateway of trade with

6. Climate Change: Oceans provide an alternate and more cleaner source of energy. It

As is defined, Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the

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