Gulf of Kutch

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Gulf of Kutch on the left. Image NASA Earth Observatory Gujarat Gulfs.jpg
Gulf of Kutch on the left. Image NASA Earth Observatory
Gulf of Kutch in 1896 Gulf of Kutch 1896.png
Gulf of Kutch in 1896

The Gulf of Kutch is located between the peninsula regions of Kutch and Saurashtra, bounded in the state of Gujarat that borders Pakistan. It opens towards the Arabian Sea facing the Gulf of Oman.

Contents

It is about 50 km wide at the entrance before narrowing into marshland, creeks and inlets. [1] The south coast is bordered by islands, mud flats and coral reefs, due to the large amount of marine life found in this region it has large sections of it have become protected as parks and sanctuaries. The northern side is lined with extensive mud flats, the largest of which lie between Mundra and Kuvay. Also, a large portion of the shipping harbours in the region are located on the northern side including Māndvi, Bedi, and Kandla. Maximum depth of the Gulf of Kutch is around 123m (403 ft). [1] Additionally, there are numerous shoals at the mouth of the gulf namely Lushington, Ranwara, Bobby and Gurur. The gulf expands deep into Gujarat with a length of approximately 150 km before becoming an 8500 km^2 delta. The low annual rainfall that flows into the gulf means that there are no major rivers going into the gulf and creating run-off. [2]

Tidal conditions range with spring tide peaking around 6.2 m while the annual average is around 4 m. Moreover, the height of the tides can also vary depending on how deep into the gulf it's recorded. Ohka has been measured in a range of 3.06 m while Kandla has shown heights of 5.89 m at the same time. [1] Similarly, the speed of the current has been recorded between 1.5 to 2.5 knots at the entrance and 3 to 5 knots within the centre. [2]

History

The Gulf of Kutch is referred to in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a travelogue written in about 50 CE, as the Gulf of Baraca. [3]

Biota

Wildlife diversity has been primarily monitored within the marine protected region with one study showing a recorded total of 1,127 species of fauna and flora. [4] The total included 200 species of molluscs, 3 species of turtles, 3 species of marine mammals. Other studies have recorded hundred of species of fish.

Coral Reefs

The Gulf of Kutch contains fringing, platform and patch reefs as well as coral pinnacles with at least 37 different species of hard corals with other reports indicating 44 species of hard coral and 12 species of soft coral. These coral reefs are thousands of years old with the youngest being from 5,240 years old at Salaya although these coral clusters grow at a rate of 1 cm to 10 cm a year. [5]

Conservation

Conservation within the Gulf of Kutch have aimed to curb the collapse of local ecosystems in the last century. Before the Marine National Park and Sanctuary no government supported environment protect existed in the region. Conservation efforts have been extensive in maintaining a large area although the growing industrialisation, tourism and climate change marine diversity has been reduced.

The Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park and Sanctuary

The Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park and Sanctuary (MNPS) was established in 1980 with the creation of the first marine sanctuary and park in response to a number of notifications received by the state of Gujarat. These first installations covered the islands that are located along the coast of Saurashtra with the inter tidal sectors becoming the first National Park areas. In recognition of the for their conservation efforts MNPS were classified by the Wildlife Institute of India as a part of the West coast Biotic Province in 1982.

The area the MNPS covers include 148.92 km^2 of 42 islands and 309 km^2 of inter tidal zone. 162.89 km^2 is dedicated as National Park area with the remaining classified as sanctuary land. [6] Under the Wild Life Protection Act of 1972 this means that no human intrusion is permitted in the park regions but certain rights may be permitted in sanctuaries such as fishing. Initially, the MNPS was established to protect regions with rich ecosystems but since the 1991 Coastal Zone Regulation Notification coral reefs as well as mangroves have been included in this protection.

Coral Reefs are regions of extreme biodiversity but can also be extremely fragile under certain conditions. It has been observed using satellite data that all coral reefs combined have shrunk 43% between 1975 and 1986 with an almost 100 km^2 loss. [7] The reason for this coral damage was due to sediment covering the coral preventing sun light from entering. As a result it starved the coral of nutrients leading to death. The main cause of the mud was due to coral dredging by a nearby cement company. As a result of these findings bans were placed on coral mining near protected areas, and between 1985 and 1991 coral reefs started to increase in size. However, with the growing industry inside the Gulf of Kutch coral reefs are once again declining.

Mangroves are less protected than coral reefs as only 140 km^2 is under MNPS control out of 665.9 km^2. [8] Between 1960 and 1980 mangroves suffered severe destruction regardless of the MNPS. This destruction is credited to mass industry building that consequently decreased the amount of freshwater available to the mangroves. As a result some mangrove species became endangered such as Rhizophora and Ceriops while at least one went extinct. While recently mangrove cover has increased it mostly attributed to districts Jamnagar and Kutch.

Tourism

With the introduction of MNPS parts of the environment have been restored promoting tourism around and on the islands. This has also resulted in policy change around these areas. Pirotan island in 1994 was planned to be classified under the maximum protection level wherein only scientific research and environmental assistants could enter. This was formulated as a part of the 1994 management plan. However, with a growing number of tourists each year the plan was never implemented and between 2006 and 2007 seven thousand tourists entered the island. Both tourism and educational programs are managed by the Gujarat Ecological Education Research Foundation (GEER).

Vessel Traffic Service

In 2012, the vessel traffic service (VTS-GOK) was opened in the Gulf of Kutch. The project was the join initiative of the Kandla Port Trust, Gujarat Maritime Board and the Directorate General of Lighthouses And Lightships of India. It is one of the largest VTS system in the world covering water area of 16,500 square kilometres (6,400 sq mi). It extends from Koteshwar to Okha, about 800 km. It cost ₹165 crore (equivalent to ₹311 croreorUS$37 million in 2023). It has nine radars, three repeater stations and six port monitoring stations. Two additional monitoring stations of the Indian Coast Guard at Jakhau and Okha and one station of Indian Navy at Okha is also integrated in the system. The master control centre is located in Kandla. [9] [10] [11]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Rann of Kutch</span> Salt marsh in Gujarat, India and Sindh, Pakistan; the greater part of the Rann of Kutch

The Great Rann of Kutch is a salt marsh in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India. It is about 7500 km2 in area and is reputed to be one of the largest salt deserts in the world. This area has been inhabited by the Kutchi people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kutch district</span> District in Gujarat, India

Kutch district, officially spelled Kachchh, is a district of Gujarat state in western India, with its headquarters (capital) at Bhuj. Covering an area of 45,674 km2, it is the largest district of India. The area of Kutch is larger than the entire area of other Indian states like Haryana (44,212 km2) and Kerala (38,863 km2), as well as the country of Estonia (45,335 km2). The population of Kutch is about 2,092,371. It has 10 talukas, 939 villages and 6 municipalities. The Kutch district is home to the Kutchi people who speak the Kutchi language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Rann of Kutch</span> Salt marsh located near the Great Rann of Kutch in Kutch, Gujarat, India

The Little Rann of Kutch is a salt marsh which is part of the Rann of Kutch in Kutch district, Gujarat, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gandhidham</span> City in Gujarat, India

Gandhidham, initially known as Sardarganj, located in the eastern part of Kutch district in the state of Gujarat and it is the largest and most populous city in (Kachchh) Kutch District, Gujarat, India. It was created in the early 1950s for the resettlement of Sindhi Hindu refugees from Sindh in the aftermath of the partition of India. It was named after M.K. Gandhi. An economic capital of Kutch and a growing area for families and retirees. According to the Cesus-2011, Gandhidham is Gujarat's 8th most populous city. It is a popular destination for conventions, business, and meetings.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch</span> National park in Gujarat, India.

Marine National Park in the Gulf of Kutch is situated on the southern shore of the Gulf of Kutch in the Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat state, India. In 1980, an area of 270 km2 from Okha to Jodiya was declared Marine Sanctuary. Later, in 1982, a core area of 110 km2 was declared Marine National Park under the provisions of the Wildlife (protection) Act, 1972 of India. There are 42 islands on the Jamnagar coast in the Marine National Park, most of them surrounded by reefs. The best-known island is Pirotan. The park protects two major ecosystems, corals and mangroves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary</span> Indian wildlife sanctuary

The Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, or Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary, is located in the Little Rann of Kutch in the state of Gujarat, India, spread over an area of 4954 km².

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pirotan</span> Lighthouse

Pirotan Island is an island in the Marine National Park, Arabian Sea. It is located 12 nautical miles (22 km) off the coast, Jamnagar District of Gujarat state, India. It consists of mangroves and low-tide beaches, and has an area of 3 square kilometres. Rozi island is located about 10 kilometres to the southeast.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Gujarat</span>

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Banni Grasslands Reserve or Banni grasslands form a belt of arid grassland ecosystem on the outer southern edge of the desert of the marshy salt flats of Rann of Kutch in Kutch District, Gujarat State, India. They are known for rich wildlife and biodiversity and are spread across an area of 3,847 square kilometres. They are currently legally protected under the status as a protected or reserve forest in India. Though declared a protected forest more than half a century ago Gujarat state's forest department has recently proposed a special plan to restore and manage this ecosystem in the most efficient way. Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has identified this grassland reserve as one of the last remaining habitats of the cheetah in India and a possible reintroduction site for the species.

The Chari-Dhand wetland conservation reserve is located on the edge of arid Banni grasslands and the marshy salt flats of the Rann of Kutch in Kutch district, Gujarat State in India. It is currently legally protected under the status of a Protected or Reserve Forest in India. Chari means salt affected and Dhand means shallow wetland, Dhand is a Sindhi word for a shallow saucer shaped depression. This is a seasonal desert wetland and only gets swampy during a good monsoon, receiving water from the north flowing rivers as well as from the huge catchment areas of many surrounding big hills. It is spread over an area of 80 km2. It is in Nakhtrana Taluka, 80 km south west to the city of Bhuj, about 7 or 8 km from Fulary village and 30 km from Nakhtrana town. It is home to nearly two lakh birds with migratory and endangered species of birds flocking into the area in thousands during monsoon and winters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rann of Kutch</span> Large area of salt desert in India and Pakistan

The Rann of Kutch is a large area of salt marshes that span the border between India and Pakistan. It is located mostly in the Kutch district of the Indian state of Gujarat, with a minor portion extending into the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is divided into the Great Rann and Little Rann. It used to be a part of the Arabian Sea, but it then dried up, leaving behind the salt, which formed the Rann of Kutch. The Luni flowed into the Rann of Kutch, but when the Rann dried up, the Luni was left behind, which explains why the Luni does not flow into the Arabian Sea today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kutch Bustard Sanctuary</span> National park in Gujarat, India

Kutch Bustard Sanctuary or Kachchh Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, also known as Lala–Parjan Sanctuary, is located near Jakhau village in Taluka Abdasa, Gujarat, India. This sanctuary is one of the two great Indian bustard sanctuaries in Gujarat; the other one is in Jamnagar. It was declared as a sanctuary in July 1992, specifically for the conservation of the great Indian bustard, the heaviest flying bird belonging to the avian family of Otididae. However, the sanctuary presently legally covers a protected area of about 2 square kilometres (0.77 sq mi) of area (202.86 hectares of fenced land only and is the smallest sanctuary in the country. Several suggestions have been made to vastly increase the size of this sanctuary as it is a breeding ground of the endangered great Indian bustard. The reason is that its ecological zone is much larger on account of anthropogenic and cattle population pressure that are considered as a ‘biotic threat’ to this omnivorous species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf of Khambhat</span> Shallow gulf near Gujarat, India

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bet Dwarka</span> Island in Gujarat, India

Bet Dwarka or Shankhodhar is an inhabited island at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, situated 2 km (1 mi) off the coast of the town of Okha, Gujarat, India, and 25 km (16 mi) north of the city of Dwarka. Northeast to southwest, the island measures 8 km (5 mi) long and averaging 2 km (1 mi) wide. The island's name "Shankhodhar" derives from the fact that the island is a large source of conch shells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary</span> Bird sanctuary in Jamnagar district of Gujarat, India

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coral reefs in India</span>

Coral reefs in India are one of the most ancient and dynamic ecosystems of India. The coral reefs not only provide a sanctuary to a myriad of marine life but also play a key role in protecting the coastline from erosion. India has about 7517 km of coastline including islands but mainland coast is 6100 km.

Gujarat, a state located in Western India, includes fauna from ecosystems such as the coast of the Arabian Sea, the semi-arid forests on the Kathiawar Peninsula, and the arid salt flats of the Rann of Kutch.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wagle, B G (1979). "Geomorphology of the Gulf of Kutch" (PDF). Indian Journal of Marine Sciences. 8: 123–126.
  2. 1 2 Kunte, P. D.; Wagle, B. G.; Sugimori, Yasuhiro (January 2003). "Sediment transport and depth variation study of the Gulf of Kutch using remote sensing" . International Journal of Remote Sensing. 24 (11): 2253–2263. doi:10.1080/01431160210164316. ISSN   0143-1161. S2CID   128498617.
  3. ↑ Schoff, Wilfred H.: The Periplus of the Erythrean Sea – Travel and Trade in the Indian Ocean by a Merchant of the First Century, Longmans, Green and Co. London, 1912.
  4. ↑ S., Singh, H. (2002). Marine protected areas in India : status of coastal wetlands and their conservation. Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation. OCLC   52269629.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Chandanathil Pappachan Geevan; Dixit, Arun Mani (2012). "State of Environment Report on Coastal and Marine Environment Gujarat State 2012". doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3392.4727.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ↑ Biswas, Nilanjana (2009). "Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park and Marine Wildlife Sanctuary: A case study". International Collective in Support of Fishworkers.
  7. ↑ Nair, V. R. (2002). Status of Flora and Fauna of Gulf of Kachchh. National Institute of Oceanography, Goa.
  8. ↑ Magotra, Rohit; Pandey, Pushkar; Kumar, Mohit; Gupta, Mohit Kumar; Kaushik, Asha; Parikh, Jyoti (15 July 2020). "Role of Marine National Park for Sustainable Livelihoods of Artisan Fisherfolk". Ecology, Economy and Society. 3 (2). doi: 10.37773/ees.v3i2.118 . ISSN   2581-6101. S2CID   225639634.
  9. ↑ "VTS system to make navigation easier in Gulf of Kutch". The Times of India. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  10. ↑ "India: VTS for the Gulf of Kachchh to the Nation DGLL to Launch AIS for Tracking Vessels". Safety4Sea. 13 February 2012.
  11. ↑ "VTS: Directorate General of Lighthouses & Lightships". www.dgll.nic.in. Retrieved 26 July 2020.

22°36′N69°30′E / 22.600°N 69.500°E / 22.600; 69.500

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