Policy Update
Sivapriya
Background
The Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), based in Cochin, Kerala, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), was established in 1998 by upgrading the then Sagar Sampada Cell with exclusive facilities for implementing the Marine Living Resources (MLR) Programme. It operates primarily to survey, assess, and exploit Marine Living Resources (MLR), and studies how MLR respond to changes in the physical environment.
This centre benefits marine scientists and researchers by providing critical research infrastructure to work on various aspects of marine ecosystems. Coastal communities and the fishing industry benefit indirectly because the centre ensures the long-term productivity of coastal ecosystems by studying and managing them, and its research on fish stocks and their habitats contributes to sustainable fishing practices.
Objectives:
1. Develop an ecosystem model for the management of living resources in the Indian EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone).
2. To strengthen the knowledge base on the complex interactions in marine ecosystems of the seas around India and vulnerable ecosystems in the Indian jurisdiction.
3. Enable policymakers to develop strategies for optimal and effective utilisation through ecosystem management of Marine Living Resources and Ecology.
Functioning
The centre has the following mandate.
1. Develop management strategies for marine living resources through ecosystem monitoring and modelling efforts.
2. Evolving, coordinating and implementing time-targeted national/ regional R&D programmes in the field of marine living resources and ecology through the effective utilisation of the Fishery and Oceanographic Research Vessel (FORV) Sagar Sampada.
3. Strengthening research on marine living resources and ecology, including the establishment of a data centre for the storage and dissemination of data and information to end-users.
4. Coordinating the national programmes relating to Southern Ocean Living Resources (Antarctic marine living resources)
Organisational Structure
The following chart depicts the organisational structure of CMLRE with three major sections: (a) Vessel Management Centre, (b) Research and Developmental Activities under MLRP, (c) Establishment and Finance.
Source: CMLRE website
CMLRE’s ongoing MLR (Marine Living Resources) surveys in the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) play a crucial role in fulfilling the organisation’s core functions, such as monitoring biodiversity, understanding fishery environments, and studying ecological phenomena, including harmful algal blooms, bioluminescent plankton, and marine mammals. Additionally, CMLRE conducts related studies on benthos, plankton biodiversity, and near-shore dynamics like upwelling and mudbanks to support its mission of promoting marine research and sustainable management.
FORV Sagar Sampada
The Fishery Oceanographic Research Vessel (FORV) Sagar Sampada is a research vessel owned by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and operated by the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi. It was built in 1984 in Denmark and is mainly used for scientific research in the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Andaman Sea. This vessel is used for undertaking major projects concerning MLR and has completed over 399 cruises over 37 years, and plays a major role in the functioning of the research undertaken by the centre.
Performance
Two projects are to be carried out, based on IRC recommendations during 2017-21, which are crucial to assess the performance of the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE). They are as follows:
1. Marine Ecosystem Dynamics of Eastern Arabian Sea (MEDAS)
2. Resource Exploration and Inventorization System (REIS)
The MLR programme in the above focus areas has been taken up under the umbrella scheme O-SMART. These activities should be continued to realize the outcomes in the next five years (2021-26). Considering the changes in ecosystems, a more focused study that includes the effects of ocean acidification on the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal ecosystems, as well as fishery oceanographic studies, should be implemented to benefit society.
According to the budget allocated under the Fifteenth Financial Commission (2021-26), the total budget allotted for O-SMART was INR 2177 crore. The MLR programme as a sub-scheme will benefit from the same.
There are four components of CMLRE under O-SMART, further divided into major themes: 1) Marine Biodiversity & Ecology, 2) Fishery Resources and Habitat Assessment, 3) Marine Ecosystem Dynamics 4) Societal Development.
Under the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) of MoES, CMLRE takes up technological innovations for the exploration and conservation of deep-sea biodiversity. Under its aegis, inventorization of deep-sea flora and fauna of deep-sea hotspots, the development of biodiversity databases, and bioprospecting using the deep-sea genetic material of microbes are some of the focus areas.
In September 2024, CMLRE conducted a national-level workshop on the Indian Biodiversity Information System (IndOBIS), which functioned as a platform for capacity building and training in data acquisition, analysis, and management for marine biodiversity in the Indian Ocean. To generate awareness of marine biodiversity, CMLRE aligned with the objective of IndOBIS to develop a mobile application called Ocean Eyes. This app allows users to record sightings of marine species, log environmental conditions, and upload geotagged photos directly. This data becomes a valuable contribution, along with raising public participation to understand marine diversity and ecological changes over time.
The centre conducted a tailored oceanographic research cruise to identify the potential ecological impacts in response to the sinking of a cargo vessel carrying 643 containers, with 13 of them containing hazardous materials, according to a PIB Report from June. This cruise was scheduled from June 3 to June 12 to focus on the wreck site and monitor the area, providing a comprehensive assessment of the damage caused.
Impact
1. Contributing to social impact, CMLRE has established a hatchery for marine ornaments at Agatti (Lakshadweep island) to support the islanders. The main focus of this institution is to develop and standardise the breeding and rearing of ornamental fish in captive conditions and enhance the livelihood conditions of the locals.
2. CMLRE also has a separate data centre which includes all the physical variables, the chemistry, plankton, microscopic organisms and biodiversity & fishery-related information collected with the help of FORV Sagar Sampada and IndOBIS. The main objective of this repository is to compile and archive data collected through sponsored projects of the MLR Programme.
3. Publication of CMLRE’s Compilation of Recent First Reports and New Sightings (2019) – with the help of ongoing research programmes REIS and MEDAS, which have made a significant contribution in close-grid samplings within the EEZ and island systems. Analyses of samples collected from deep-sea surveys of FORV Sagar Sampada between 2010 and 2016 have resulted in many new species of marine animals (like nematodes, polychaetes, crustaceans, chaetognaths, echinoderms, and over a dozen fish)
Way Forward
The Marine Living Resources Programme under CMLRE has focused on providing a strong knowledge base regarding marine biodiversity and aims to develop an ecosystem model for the management of living resources in the EEZ. Over the years, the institution has made a significant contribution towards data acquisition and dissemination to foster quality research and policy changes. By focusing on active collaborations with other institutes and strengthening in-house research capabilities and infrastructure at present, the centre works towards the survey and assessment of marine living resources.
References
- Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) leads an urgent ocean study following hazardous cargo spill south off Kochi. (2017). Retrieved July 10, 2025, from Pib.gov.in website: Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) leads an urgent ocean study following hazardous cargo spill south off Kochi
- CMLRE’s Compilation of Recent First Reports and New Species https://www.cmlre.gov.in/sites/default/files/uploadfiles/CMLRE%e2%80%99s%20Compilation%20of%20Recent%20First%20Reports%20and%20New%20Species.pdf
- DOM | Ministry Of Earth Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.moes.gov.in website: DOM | Ministry of Earth Science, Government of India
- Gupta, M., N. Saravanane, & Sudhakar, M. (2016). Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology. Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy. Part A, Physical Sciences, 82(3). https://doi.org/10.16943/ptinsa/2016/48500
- OCTOBER 2020 MPEDA NEWSLETTER 15 CMLRE exploring to augment the Marine Living resources FOCUS AREA. (n.d.). Retrieved from CMLRE exploring to augment the Marine Living resources
- Right to Information | Centre For Marine Living Resources & Ecology. (2017). Retrieved July 10, 2025, from Cmlre.gov.in website: Right to Information | Centre For Marine Living Resources & Ecology
- The Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) organises national-level workshop on IndOBIS: enhancing marine biodiversity documentation, research, and conservation. (2017). Retrieved from Pib.gov.in website: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2051459
About the contributor:
Sivapriya is a research intern at IMPRI. She is pursuing a BA(Hons) Economics degree from Miranda House College, University of Delhi.
Acknowledgement:
The author sincerely thanks Aasthaba Jadeja and other IMPRI fellows for their valuable contribution.
Disclaimer:All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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