The coral reefs of India’s Lakshadweep archipelago are in a precarious state due to climate change and natural disasters.
Lakshadweep’s stunning pictures mask the precarious state of its environment, particularly the coral reefs — making it important for the government to mandate and ensure responsible tourism practices and also continuously monitor the fragile ecosystem of the archipelago.
The Lakshadweep archipelago, comprising 35 islands (of which 10 are inhabited) has witnessed four major El Nino Southern Oscillation-related temperature anomalies in the past two decades (1998, 2010, 2016 and 2019), and three catastrophic cyclones in the last four years (Ockhi, Maha and Tauktae) resulting in widespread coral bleaching and mortality, the Lakshadweep Research Collective, a team of ecologists and marine biologists said in a letter to then-president Ram Nath Kovind in 2021, responding to the administration’s publication of the draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation of 2021(LDAR).
The group, 60 scientists and researchers, asked the President to withdraw the draft LDAR 2021 which sought to develop the islands as a major tourist destination, underlining that the region’s unique geography, ecology, and long human history placed natural limits on the kinds of development the archipelago can support. The draft has been put on hold since, but the constraints remain the same — something that needs to be kept in mind at a time when interest in Lakshadweep as a tourist destination is peaking.
The interest follows a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, intemperate responses to his tweets on the visit by junior ministers from the Maldives, a social media storm featuring influencers from both countries, and a diplomatic spat that saw the Maldivian ministers in question being suspended. On Monday, media reports said India is proceeding with plans to build a new military and civilian airport in Minicoy.
Lakshadweep’s appeal comes from its surrounding reefs, the living coral framework and the lagoon it encloses — but these also serve a function. Together, they buffer the islands from waves, storms, land loss and saline ingress into groundwater, the scientists wrote in their letter.
But the reef is under threat.
A 2018 research paper published in Springer Journal found that recovery rates of affected reefs was gradually declining. “This has resulted in a 40% decline in absolute coral cover in the last two decades from 51.6% in 1998 to 11% in 2017,” the study, led by researchers from the Nature Conservation Foundation, said.
Fortunately, the 2023 El Nino event did not see any large-scale bleaching in Lakshadweep corals according to ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute which is monitoring the reefs.
“Climate change is significantly impacting reefs in Lakshadweep through various mechanisms. The increase in sea surface temperature is a primary driver, leading to thermal stress that contributes to coral bleaching and the proliferation of infectious diseases. This, in turn, leads to a scarcity of food for corals and impedes the spread of coral larvae, affecting the overall health and sustainability of the reef ecosystem. Changes in storm patterns further exacerbate the situation, with intensified and more frequent storms causing potential devastation to coral reefs. Altered ocean currents are another consequence of climate change, bringing about changes in connectivity and temperature patterns,” said Sreenath KR, senior scientist at CMFRI.
“Additionally, the phenomenon of ocean acidification, driven by elevated levels of carbon dioxide, is impacting reefs worldwide. This acidification results in a decline in pH levels, negatively affecting coral growth and compromising the structural stability of the reefs,” he added, explaining that there is still potential for Lakshadweep’s corals to recover from previous bleaching events.
A significant factor contributing to coral recovery is the healthy reef fish population, as local fisheries primarily target Skipjack tuna rather than reef fish. Unlike many tropical reefs in developing nations, which are heavily impacted due to overfishing, Lakshadweep serves as a promising example of how less exploited reefs can have higher resilience capacity, Sreenath said.
Even as Lakshadweep copes with sea-level rise and onslaught of climate crisis, the Centre has major plans to boost its tourism.
On August 8, 2023, tourism minister G Kishan Reddy informed the Rajya Sabha that under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, Lakshadweep has been identified for development. The initiatives planned include development and upgradation of Agatti Airport; and the development of water aerodromes for sea plane operation in Minicoy, Agatti and Kavaratti.
So far tourist inflow to Lakshadweep has been muted.
Experts warn against mass tourism in Lakshadweep which may not be able to handle other anthropogenic pressures. Sreenath has recommended continuous monitoring of reef health, effective fishery management practices to ensure sustainable harvesting of live baits, coral transplantation and artificial reef installation, responsible tourism practices — particularly encouraging them to dive responsibly by avoiding physical contact with reef organisms and refraining from anchoring boats on the reef.
There is no evidence of sewage contamination or oil pollution detected in these reefs, but with a growing tourism footprint, that may also become a concern.
The Maldives has 1,192 islands of which 200 are inhabited (16%), whereas the Lakshadweep has 35 islands of which 10 are inhabited. This represents 87% of land area which is permanently occupied, and a further 8% of land area on “uninhabited” islands are used as resource areas and for fisheries.
Uninhabited atolls in Lakshadweep play an important role in the maintenance of biodiversity. The Lakshadweep Research Group highlighted that despite its close proximity to Maldives, coral reefs in Lakshadweep are nearly half as biodiverse as those in the Maldives, owing to its geomorphology. Free from persistent anthropogenic pressures, uninhabited atolls can harbour up to six times the biomass of fish and a significantly higher richness of species but that will change completely if tourism is not regulated.
“Lakshadweep is at that point in history from where it can creatively and progressively strengthen and diversify on this trajectory; but if it is made to instead follow the development paradigms as on the mainland, it risks losing everything; just as unnecessary and irresponsible construction & infrastructure is wiping away beaches, wetlands, rivers and lakes on the mainland, making coastal cities prone to floods, and inland cities prone to drought,” the scientists wrote in 2021.
As Lakshadweep makes headlines, its possibly also undergoing a marine heatwave.
“Sea surface temperatures during the past month indicate mild marine heatwaves in the southeastern Arabian Sea, close to Lakshadweep. NOAA forecasts indicate that these marine heatwaves may last through the next two months. Severe marine heatwaves can lead to coral bleaching and impact fisheries, though we do not have real-time data to investigate the ongoing impacts,” said Roxy Mathew Koll, climate scientist at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in its Asia report in 2022 flagged that coastal habitats of Asia are diverse, and the impacts of climate change including rising temperatures, ocean acidification and sea level rise has brought negative effects to the services and the livelihoods of people depending on it.
Reduced coral cover and degraded coral community structures are expected to reduce the suitability of coral reefs as habitat for many other species, impacting the biodiversity and ecosystem services upon which humans depend, according to US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Changes in coral reef ecosystems resulting from bleaching are expected to translate into shifts in fish species composition and, possibly, reduced fishery catches and impact marine biodiversity. Coral-dependent fish are important prey for larger species, many of which are targeted in coral reef fisheries.
