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Seaweeds are also used as the potential indicators of pollution in coastal ecosystem,
particularly heavy metal pollution due to their ability to bind and accumulate metals strongly.
The total world seaweed production is estimated to be about 1821 x 10 4 tonnes (wet
weight) annually. Of this, about 4.83% is being harvested from the eastern and western
Indian Ocean. The potential harvest from the Indian Ocean is 870,000 tonnes of wet weight.
From this, only 22,000 tonnes, largely red and brown sea weeds are actually harvested from
both western and eastern Indian Ocean. About 20,000 marine algal species are reported to be
distributed throughout the world whereas it has been estimated that the yield of seaweeds
along the Indian coast is only about 70,000 tonnes on fresh weight basis. About 624 marine
algal species of various groups are recorded from Indian waters, with a maximum number of
302 species in Tamil Nadu, followed by 202 species in Gujarat, 152 species in Maharashtra,
89 species in the Lakshadweep group of island and 75 in Goa.
Uses of sea weeds
Seaweeds are important as food for humans, feed for animals, fertilizer for plants.
Seaweeds are used as a drug for goiter treatment, intestinal and stomach disorders. Products
like agar-agar and alginates, which are of commercial value, are extracted from seaweeds.
Functions of seaweeds
Food for marine organism, habitat for breeding grounds, source of sediment.
Threats to seaweeds
Over exploitation for commercial uses and CRZ regulations do not apply to as the
water part hence sea weeds are not covered.
2.4.5 Horseshoe (HS) Crab Habitats
Horseshoe crab is an important component of the food chain. Beach geomorphology
is the most important factor in determining beach stability for the nesting behaviour of marine
animals. Nesting behaviour of the Indian horseshoe crab, Tachpleus gigas (Muller) in India.
The H.S Crab breeds practically through out the year. Migration and concentration in large
numbers of mating pairs, in the intertidal zone, is a characteristic feature of the life history of
horse shoe crab. Along the coast of India, T.gigas is common in selected beaches in the north
east coast. Balramgari in O rissa is one of the favourite breeding spots. Urgent measures need
to be taken up for the protection and conservation of horseshoe crabs as these habitats are
being destroyed by various developmental activities.
2.4.6 Turtle Nesting Grounds
Most of the turtle locate their nesting grounds when they mature. Of the seven or eight
species of sea turtles, two species are unique in displaying one of the most spectacular
reproductive phenomena, the mass nesting. In India there are three major mass-nesting sites
of the olive ridley (Lepidochelys Olivacea), all on the east coast, in Orissa. The nesting at
Gahirmata (a part of Bhitarkanika sanctuary) at the mouth of the river Maipura near Dhamra,
is the largest sea turtle rockery in the world with 100,000 to 500,000 turtles nesting there each
year. There are smaller rookeries at the mouth of the Devi River (north of Puri) and
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