State’s first marine sanctuary to protect 11 threatened species

Bengaluru: The Apsarakonda-Mugali Marine Wildlife Sanctuary, the state's first marine protected area which aims to safeguard 11 threatened species listed by International Union for Conservation of Nature, could soon receive cabinet approval.
Spanning 838.2 hectares on land and 5,124.3 hectares at sea, the sanctuary will extend 6km into the Arabian Sea from Honnavar in Uttara Kannada. It will provide a haven for species such as the sea cucumber, Olive-Ridley turtle, coral reef, migratory shark, spotted seahorse, rays, trevally, groupers, mullets, red snappers, and croakers — all classified as scheduled animals under the Wildlife Protection Act.
The need for a protected marine area arose from concerns that, despite Karnataka's extensive coastline and rich biodiversity, marine protected areas account for only 4% of the total protected area and just 1.3% of the country's continental shelf area.
The sanctuary will stretch from Mugali in the south to Kasarkod in the north, covering a total length of 8.2km. Officials emphasise that Kasarkod's sandy beaches are a key nesting site for Olive-Ridley turtles, a species protected under Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act.
"In fact, the plateau in Kasarkod is an Olive-Ridley turtle nesting site," said a forest department official.
The marine boundary, set at 6km from the shore, was determined to allow better monitoring and surveillance from land, ensuring effective protection of marine biodiversity.
Interestingly, the sanctuary was originally proposed in 2022 under the then BJP-led Basavaraj Bommai govt and had already received clearances from the State Wildlife Board. However, it was never presented before the cabinet.
"When the sanctuary was proposed at a recent cabinet meeting, it was withdrawn at the last moment after the govt realised that the credit for the first marine sanctuary in the state would go to BJP," said a department official.
The current administration now plans to resubmit the proposal at the next State Wildlife Board meeting before seeking fresh cabinet approval, ensuring the landmark project moves forward.