The Department of Ocean Development lays special emphasis on encouraging basic and applied research in ocean related subjects. The focus is on assisting the Universities and on building up a skilled human resource base in Marine Sciences. The Marine Research and Capacity Building Programme aims to do this with the active participation of educational institutions, National R&D Laboratories, etc. The activities towards this endeavour are guided by the National Steering Committee comprising eminent experts that overlooks policy matters and their implementation. The objective of this programme is to encourage research in newly emerging and front line areas of Coastal Engineering, Marine Chemistry, Marine Biology and Microbiology, Pharmacology, Coastal Zone Management, Exploration and Exploitation of Marine Resources, etc.; to create infrastructure facilities in Universities and to inculcate scientific temper among the people on Ocean Science.

7.1 Marine Research Project

Out of the 22 ongoing projects under different disciplines that are being implemented presently, five have been completed. Three new projects are being considered for assistance.

7.2 Capacity Building

For promotion of front-ranking research in Ocean Science & Technology and related human resources development, MoUs were signed with Ocean Science & Technology Cells (OSTCs), set up during 1997-98, in the following disciplines at seven out of the 9 centres given below:

Marine Microbiology - Goa University, Goa Marine Coastal Ecology (E. Coast) - Berhampur University, Berhampur Marine Coastal Ecology (W. Coast) - Bhavnagar University, Bhavanagar Marine Geology And Geophysics - Mangalore University, Mangalore Coastal Marine Culture Systems - Andhra University, Visakhapatnam Beach Placers - Tamil University, Tanjore Marine Biology - Annamalai University , Parangipettai Marine Benthos - Cochin University of S & T, Kochi Ocean Engineering & Underwater Robotics - IIT, Kharagpur

In the current year a total of 13 projects in the areas of Marine Geology and Geophysics (two projects); Marine Microbiology (three projects); Marine Coastal Ecology - West Coast (eight projects) have been approved for implementation in the specialised OSTCs. Another six projects falling in the areas of Marine Biology and Marine Benthos are also beeing sanctioned by March 2000. The OSTCs are positioned to develop into Centres of Excellence in their respective fields, in the years to come.

During the financial year 1999-2000, 20 ongoing fellowships covering different disciplines like Microbial Diversity in Marine Ecosystem, Geo-Chemical Studies of Estuaries and Shelf, etc., were continued in addition to those integrated under the national project on Marine Living Resources.