Under various laws and policies discussed in this section, marine species and areas are safeguarded with varying degrees of protection based on their vulnerability and ecological sensitivity. For example, The Wildlife Protection Act categorises Protected Areas (PAs) into four classes: National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Community Reserves and Conservation Reserves (highest to the lowest degree of protection).Similarly, other Indian laws have well-defined categories of PAs and MPAs that complement and exist simultaneously with other laws creating an expansive and inter-connected network of legal mechanisms for protecting sensitive areas and species.
In this setting, the map on Important Sites collates and systematises important marine sites in India notified under different laws and other areas with potential for conservation. Sites are marked with descriptions to highlight their geographical and historical uniqueness, species and ecosystem diversity, and conservation challenges in the region.
