7. MARINE RESEARCH AND CAPACITY BUILDING

The Department of Ocean Development (DOD) lays special emphasis on encouraging basic and applied research in ocean related subjects with focus on assisting the Universities and building up a skilled human resource base in Marine Sciences. The objective of this programme is to encourage research in newly emerging and front line areas of Marine Geology and Geophysics, Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, Exploration and Exploitation of Marine Resources, Coastal Engineering, etc., with a view to create infrastructure facilities in Universities and to inculcate scientific temper among the people in relation to marine science and technology.

Presently, more than 100 research and development projects are being supported in the interdisciplinary field of Marine Science and Technology. This includes 12 projects exclusively under Marine Manpower Development Programme and about 80 projects being supported under the Ocean Science and Technology Cells set up in the chosen priority areas viz., Marine Microbiology at Goa University, Marine Geology & Geophysics at Mangalore University, Beach Placers at Tamil University, Coastal Marine Culture Systems at Andhra University, Marine Biology at Annamalai University, Marine Benthos at Cochin University of Science & Technology, Marine Coastal Ecology of West Coast at Bhavnagar University, Marine Coastal Ecology of East Coast at Berhampur University and Ocean Engineering & Underwater Robotics at IIT, Kharagpur. In addition, 10 projects in the field of biodiversity, biostratigraphy, ridge geology, polar sciences, gravimetry and climatology are also being supported outside the OSTC system.

Some of the major accomplishments under these OSTCs during the period under report include:

· Successful breeding and rearing of marine ornamental fish viz., clown fish and sea horse under the OSTC on Marine Biology,

Eggs of an ornamental fish (clown fish) bred under controlled conditions

Larval and adult seahorse maintained under controlled conditions in OSTC Marine Biology

· Isolation of linoleic and linolenic acid from marine microbes; microbes/viruses responsible for shrimp disease; and marine actinomycetes under the OSTC on Marine Microbiology,

· Assessment of the impact of bottom trawling on the benthic fauna along the Indian coastline under the OSTC on Marine Benthos,

· Assessment of the various anthropogenic perturbations on the marine ecology along the east and west coasts, under the OSTC on Marine Coastal Ecology; etc.

In an interesting finding from a project on “Biogeochemical Cycling and Sea-to-Air Fluxes of Dimethyl Sulphide (DMS) in the Northern Indian Ocean”, Dimethyl Sulphoniopropionate (DMSP) in marine aerosols and its rapid loss to air was detected for the first time. Other important results pertain to the efflux of non-sea salt sulphate gases from the sea surface micro-layer, negative relation between mixed layer depths and DMS inventories, reduction of phytoplankton and bacterial populations with increase in ultra violet (UV) radiation and occurrence of higher DMS inventories when UV incidence is high. The budget estimates on the assessment made during the study indicated that the Arabian Sea produces 0.12 million tonnes of DMS in the upper 100 m of the water column due to intense biological activity, while the Bay of Bengal and the Central Indian Ocean produce 0.06 and 0.02 million tonnes of DMS, respectively.

In relation to another DOD funded project on ”Methane and Gas Hydrates in Marine Sediments from the Eastern Arabian Sea: Distribution, Origin and their Possible Impact on Climate Change”, which concluded recently, characteristic gas related sedimentary features like gas charged sediments and pock marks were identified and a distribution map of gas charged sediments was prepared. Further, the layers supposed to be Bottom Simulating Reflectors were identified and an extraction unit for the extraction of dissolved gases from sediments and water samples was also fabricated.

Another interesting project on Marine Archaeological Research off Dwarka, Bet Dwarka and Somnath, concluded during the year. Several artefacts were discovered in the area of interest including the Roman artefacts off Bet Dwarka and a number of anchors of different varieties pointing towards Bet Dwarka as potential site of a proto-historic settlement.

Technology Demonstration for Women on fattening of baby rock lobsters was also concluded highlighting its significance and potential in relation to socio-economic benefits.

The project on ” Survey of Molluscan Resources with particular reference to economically important bivalves of Goa Coast” was completed and an inventory of molluscan fauna and potential areas of Goa Coast was prepared.

Under the Programme on Marine Manpower Development, the Department provides fellowships/associateships for capacity building in the field of ocean sciences. About 39 Research Fellowships/ Associateship are being supported presently by the Department. This is in addition to more than 100 Research Personnel working on various DOD funded projects for Research and Development.

As a part of building up strong infrastructure, the Department is supporting the maiden endeavour of establishing the network of absolute gravity measurement at selected stations in the coastal region and in Antarctica near the Indian Station, “Maitri”. For this purpose, an Absolute Gravimeter is being procured. The proposed measurements near the existing tide gauges are expected to provide the mean sea level trends for land movements, thereby understanding the phenomenon of sea level change. The project is undertaken by National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad.