Coastal resource use: Status and management with a special reference to aquaculture devolopment in India

Abstract

Coastal regions are dynamic ones with many cyclic and random processes due to various natural, commercial, recreational, ecological, industrial, and esthetic resources. Approximately more than 200 million people worldwide live along coastlines less than 5 metres above sea level. By the end of the 21st century this figure is estimated to increase to 400 to 500 million (McMichael et al., 2020). However, the coastal zone is under mounting pressure in many countries with unmanaged developmental activities, pollution, demographic trends causing significant environmental problems. Increased demand for limited coastal zone resources has often resulted in conflict among competing user groups. Globally, understanding coastal resource characteristics and implementing sustainable coastal management approaches are the need of the hour to safeguard the highly sought coastal resources.