PARLIAMENT QUESTION: ADVANCED MARINE STATION FOR OCEAN BIOLOGY

The Ministry of Earth Sciences, through the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) in Kochi, runs a programme to assess and monitor Marine Living Resources (MLR) in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Between 2023 and 2026, CMLRE conducted about 19 surveys covering fishery resources and marine biodiversity. Data generated are used for sustainable MLR management, marine conservation and evidence‑based policy, including eight‑year fishery yield estimates, identification of Ecologically & Biologically Significant Areas, biodiversity inventories, genomic reference libraries, and fish spawning grounds. The programme also supports national and international commitments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and SDG‑14. Initiatives include long‑term ecosystem monitoring, the Bhavasagara National Repository for deep‑sea specimens, advanced scientific technologies, capacity building and collaborations with national and international institutions. The information was provided by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh in a Lok Sabha written reply.