Keralam gains mangrove cover over the last decade despite historic losses, ICAR-CMFRI study finds

Key facts

• A study by the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), based in Kochi, found an overall increase in Keralam's mangrove cover over the past decade, despite the State losing nearly 90% of its mangroves over the past five decades.
• The study compared satellite images from 2017 and 2026 to map changes in mangrove vegetation across Keralam's coastal districts, and was presented at an international symposium on fisheries and remote sensing hosted at CMFRI.
• The three-day symposium is jointly organised by the Trevor Platt Science Foundation, the Department of Chemical Oceanography of Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), CMFRI and the Marine Biological Association of India.
• Mangroves serve as breeding and nursery grounds for fish, protect coastlines from cyclones and storm surges, and help absorb atmospheric carbon.
• Another study presented at the symposium found the Bay of Bengal experienced more than 100 marine heatwave events between 1982 and 2023, with rising frequency and cumulative intensity; it was presented by the Department of Oceanography of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh.