The Agenda 21 adopted by UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992 emphasised the need to adopt the concept of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) for sustainable utilisation of coastal and marine resources and prevention of degradation of marine environment. This is best achieved through integration of activities prevalent in the land, coastal and marine areas.
Monitoring the health of coastal sea is essential to assess the status of environmental quality and to alert government and public institutions for their implications relating to fisheries and other human related uses.
The Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management (ICMAM) project of Ministry of Earth Sciences of Government of India (http://www.icmam.gov.in/) is developing capacity towards accomplishing the coastal and ocean related objectives of UNCED and carrying out R&D on application of scientific tools and techniques that are helpful in the development of integrated management solutions to address the issues and problems prevalent in the coastal marine areas including marine pollution.
The ICMAM project collects data on 25 different parameters on physical, chemical and biological including microbiological characters of water and sediment samples, at 20 selected locations around the coastline of the country.
The ICMAM makes use of application of GIS, Remote Sensing, Environmental Impact Assessment and Mathematical modelling in the evaluation of sectoral impacts caused by each sector (like Ports and Harbours, Waste disposal) on other sectors and using these tools for development of integrated management solutions to minimise the cross impacts for sustainable development of economic activities in the coastal marine areas and conserve resources.
The information generated by ICMAM is being provided to the coastal state governments for taking necessary mitigation measures, as part of India's commitment to monitor and protect the health of coastal seas.