NO MAN’S ISLAND marin

NO MAN’S ISLAND

Forest department bans tourists from visiting famed Pirotan island after widespread damage to corals

DILIP PATEL


The state Forest Department has finally bitten the bullet. The ecologically fragile Pirotan island in the Bay of Kutch is offlimits for tourists.
The 5000-odd eco-tourists who visit the island every year, mostly in the winter months, will have to now be content with Narara island, said Forest and Environment Secretary S K Nanda.
“Many visitors prefer to walk on the sea bed to get a better view and feel of the corals. While they experience it first hand, they damage the soft corals. Once damaged, it takes nearly 50 years to form coral polyps,” Nanda said. The island will remain open to researchers, however, Nanda said.
Disappointed eco-tourists can take heart from the fact that they will be allowed to go to Narara island, about 18 nautical miles from Pirotan island. Tourists usually go to Bedi port, about 7 km from Jamnagar, to travel to Pirotan. Narara can be accessed from Vadinar port, about 7 km away.
“Narara island offers quite diverse marine life. Tourists will get to see almost identical eco-system. Besides, it is easily accessible as they can walk over to the island during low tide,” Nanda said.
According to marine officials, the decision to close Pirotan for tourists was taken after widespread damage to the eco-system was reported by experts.
“Tourists generally spend up to 12 hours on the island once they cross over to it. They have to wait for the next high tide to return. As they have ample time at their command, they walk on the beach and in the shallow waters, damaging the fragile corals,” Deputy Conservator of Forest P H Sata said.
Narara has been kept open because tourists can return to the mainland after spending a couple of hours.
“No tourist for Pirotan is good news for corals formation and preservation,” Sata said.
Incidentally, the state government is jointly implementing a federal and World Bank project aimed at restoration of coral reefs and mangrove forests at a cost of Rs 350 crore.

THE ISLANDS

PIROTAN AND Narara are among the 42 coral islands within the Marine National Park in the Bay of Kutch, off Jamnagar. The park is spread over 162 sq km while 457 sq km area is declared a sanctuary. A total of 712 sq km area is treated as protected area.

NARARA:

It is one of the important tourists’ destinations. Although Narara is an island, it is well connected with the mainland. It is also known for its vast inter-tidal zone, facilitating viewing of marine invertebrates. It is a good nature education site.

PIROTAN:

It is another tourist attraction where all kinds of invertebrates are easily visible. Tourists have to wait for high tide to reach the island by boat from the creeks (20 nautical miles). There is a time gap of 12 hours between two high tides in a day. Therefore, once tourists cross the creek to the island, they are able to return only during next tide after about 12 hours.

FLORA:

Six species of mangroves, several species of herbs, grasses and shrubs and 120 species of algae.

FAUNA:

Colourful sponges and corals (see pictures) including 42 hard coral and 10 soft coral species, sea anemones, jelly fishes, sea horse, octopus, pearl oyster, sabela, starfish, bonellia, sepia, lobster, crabs, prawns, sea turtles, dolphin, dugong, porpoise, shark, etc.

MANGROVE FOREST:

The mangroves grow in saline soils in the coastal areas along the shores. They survive in difficult conditions of high salinity, low oxygen and nutrient availability in the soil, wind and wave action and substrate instability.


Forest department bans tourists from visiting famed Pirotan island after widespread damage to corals
DILIP PATEL


The state Forest Department has finally bitten the bullet. The ecologically fragile Pirotan island in the Bay of Kutch is offlimits for tourists.
The 5000-odd eco-tourists who visit the island every year, mostly in the winter months, will have to now be content with Narara island, said Forest and Environment Secretary S K Nanda.
“Many visitors prefer to walk on the sea bed to get a better view and feel of the corals. While they experience it first hand, they damage the soft corals. Once damaged, it takes nearly 50 years to form coral polyps,” Nanda said. The island will remain open to researchers, however, Nanda said.
Disappointed eco-tourists can take heart from the fact that they will be allowed to go to Narara island, about 18 nautical miles from Pirotan island. Tourists usually go to Bedi port, about 7 km from Jamnagar, to travel to Pirotan. Narara can be accessed from Vadinar port, about 7 km away.
“Narara island offers quite diverse marine life. Tourists will get to see almost identical eco-system. Besides, it is easily accessible as they can walk over to the island during low tide,” Nanda said.
According to marine officials, the decision to close Pirotan for tourists was taken after widespread damage to the eco-system was reported by experts.
“Tourists generally spend up to 12 hours on the island once they cross over to it. They have to wait for the next high tide to return. As they have ample time at their command, they walk on the beach and in the shallow waters, damaging the fragile corals,” Deputy Conservator of Forest P H Sata said.
Narara has been kept open because tourists can return to the mainland after spending a couple of hours.
“No tourist for Pirotan is good news for corals formation and preservation,” Sata said.
Incidentally, the state government is jointly implementing a federal and World Bank project aimed at restoration of coral reefs and mangrove forests at a cost of Rs 350 crore.

THE ISLANDS

PIROTAN AND Narara are among the 42 coral islands within the Marine National Park in the Bay of Kutch, off Jamnagar. The park is spread over 162 sq km while 457 sq km area is declared a sanctuary. A total of 712 sq km area is treated as protected area.

NARARA:

It is one of the important tourists’ destinations. Although Narara is an island, it is well connected with the mainland. It is also known for its vast inter-tidal zone, facilitating viewing of marine invertebrates. It is a good nature education site.

PIROTAN:

It is another tourist attraction where all kinds of invertebrates are easily visible. Tourists have to wait for high tide to reach the island by boat from the creeks (20 nautical miles). There is a time gap of 12 hours between two high tides in a day. Therefore, once tourists cross the creek to the island, they are able to return only during next tide after about 12 hours.

FLORA:

Six species of mangroves, several species of herbs, grasses and shrubs and 120 species of algae.

FAUNA:

Colourful sponges and corals (see pictures) including 42 hard coral and 10 soft coral species, sea anemones, jelly fishes, sea horse, octopus, pearl oyster, sabela, starfish, bonellia, sepia, lobster, crabs, prawns, sea turtles, dolphin, dugong, porpoise, shark, etc.

MANGROVE FOREST:

The mangroves grow in saline soils in the coastal areas along the shores. They survive in difficult conditions of high salinity, low oxygen and nutrient availability in the soil, wind and wave action and substrate instability.