About 1,743 square km areas of the Bay of Bengal adjacent to St Martin’s Island, in addition to the previously declared 590 hectares of ecologically critical area, have been declared as Saint Martin’s ‘Marine Protected Area’.
The decision has been taken to prevent uncontrolled movement of ships and motor boats, overfishing of fishery resources, dumping of waste and harmful chemicals in the sea, destruction of coral colonies and loss of biodiversity.
The information was provided in a press release sent from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Wednesday.
The Ministry, under the Sections 13 (1) and 13 (2) of the Wildlife (Conservation and Protection) Act, 2012, declared this area as Saint Martin’s ‘Marine Protected Area’ on January 4, 2022. This area is by far the largest and second Marine Protected Area in the country.
This declaration will help in the conservation of the endangered pink dolphins, sharks, ray fish, sea turtles, seabirds, corals, marine grasses and marine biodiversity and their habitats.
As a result, the livelihoods of indigenous people will improve through sustainable extraction of marine fisheries resources, the national blue economy will be enriched and the international obligations and targets related to the special economic zone of Bangladesh will be achieved.
It is hoped that the declaration of this Marine Protected Area will facilitate the proper enforcement of the law and proper management of the protected area with the help of law enforcement agencies operating in and around the island.
Moreover, limiting sustainable extraction of marine resources from this protected area will result in increased marine fish resources and aquatic animal breeding in the protected area. At the same time, the possibility of increasing the abundance of marine fish resources and aquatic life outside the protected area will be multiplied.
Above all, the development of conservation and management of Marine Protected Areas will facilitate the achievement of SDG target 14.5.1 as well as enrich the national Blue economy.
Everyone has been requested to play a responsible role in conserving this unique coral island located in the southernmost part of Bangladesh, its environment and biodiversity.