In a significant move to combat marine pollution, Mumbai authorities are preparing to install floating barriers across key waterways to stop plastic waste from entering the Arabian Sea.
The initiative, led by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), aims to intercept plastic debris and other floating waste materials before they drift into open waters.
Mumbai’s network of rivers, nullahs, and stormwater drains often carries large quantities of plastic waste — especially during the monsoon season — directly into the sea. Environmental experts have long warned that unchecked plastic flow contributes to marine ecosystem damage, coastal pollution, and flooding caused by clogged drainage systems.
The floating barriers, often referred to as trash booms, are designed to trap debris while allowing water to pass through. Collected waste will then be removed regularly by civic teams and processed through proper waste management channels.
Officials say the project is part of a broader push toward urban sustainability and improved solid waste management practices. If successful, the model could be expanded to additional waterways across the city.
Marine conservationists have welcomed the move, noting that preventive measures at the source are far more effective than attempting large-scale ocean clean-ups later.
As cities worldwide grapple with plastic pollution, Mumbai’s initiative signals a shift toward proactive environmental governance — targeting waste before it reaches fragile marine ecosystems.
Panaji, February 2026: The philosophy of conservation must actively involve local communities and cannot be limited to animal protection alone, said filmmaker Taira Malaney during a post-screening discussion of her documentary Turtle Walker, held as part of a recent MOG Sunday event at the Museum of Goa (MOG), Pilerne. The screening was attended by members of the Jnana Foundation, followed by an audience interaction with Malaney and creative producer Saif Khan.
Set against India’s fragile coastline—where nesting beaches overlap with tourism, fishing livelihoods, and dense human activity—the documentary highlights how sea turtle conservation is deeply intertwined with social and ecological realities. Drawing from the film, Malaney underscored the role of local communities in supporting the work of marine biologist Satish Bhaskar, the film’s protagonist, whose extensive surveys of turtle nesting beaches began in the late 1970s.
“Real conservation needs to involve communities. It cannot be purely about protecting the animal,” Malaney said, noting that community members assisted Bhaskar in identifying nesting sites, navigating difficult terrain, and collecting field data across India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Turtle Walker documents Bhaskar’s decades-long surveys that led to the identification of previously undocumented nesting beaches and helped lay the foundation for long-term sea turtle conservation efforts in India.
During the discussion, Malaney addressed the growing threats faced by turtles along increasingly urbanised coastlines. She highlighted artificial lighting as a major concern, explaining that hatchlings rely on moonlight to find the sea, while streetlights and beachfront illumination often disorient them, leading to high mortality rates.
“Noise, crowds, and daytime human activity can discourage adult turtles from nesting, causing them to return to the sea without laying eggs,” she said, adding that hatchlings on developed beaches also face threats from stray dogs and poaching.
Fishing-related risks were also discussed, with Malaney noting that turtles are often accidentally trapped in fishing nets during offshore mating. While turtle exclusion devices (TEDs) exist to allow turtles to escape, she pointed out that their implementation in India remains inconsistent.
Referring to existing conservation efforts in Goa, Malaney cited Forest Department-managed hatcheries at beaches such as Morjim, Agonda, and Galgibag, where nests are relocated to protected zones to minimise losses from human disturbance and predation.
Creative producer Saif Khan said the film was developed alongside an impact campaign aimed at extending conservation engagement beyond screenings. “Storytelling can have an impact at multiple levels, but it needs to be combined with on-ground work,” he said. The campaign supports marine mammal stranding networks in Goa and Karnataka, conservation education programmes, and initiatives addressing threats such as abandoned fishing nets.
Further screenings and outreach activities are planned as part of the film’s ongoing impact campaign, alongside its public screenings and festival run.
On September 20, 2025, the Scouts and Guides of Grade X from Chubby Cheeks Spring Valley High School proudly took part in a Coastal Beach Cleaning Activity held at Calangute Beach. The students reported at the site at 7:30 a.m., ready and eager to contribute to a cleaner, greener coastline.
This meaningful initiative was part of a larger national environmental movement spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India. The event was organized in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Goa, the Goa State Biodiversity Board, the Goa State Climate Change Cell, the Village Panchayat of Calangute, the Biodiversity Management Committee, and the Indian Coast Guard.
The morning began with a brief introduction to the objective of the activity, emphasizing the significance of marine conservation and the environmental threats posed by coastal pollution. Instructions were given to the participants, followed by the strategic allocation of cleaning zones along the beach to ensure thorough coverage.
Working in teams, students cleared trash, collected plastic waste, and separated recyclables. The hands-on activity not only contributed to a cleaner beach but also served as a powerful lesson in civic responsibility and environmental stewardship. The students demonstrated dedication, teamwork, and discipline—qualities at the heart of the Scouts and Guides movement.
Through this initiative, Chubby Cheeks Spring Valley High School reinforced its commitment to shaping environmentally responsible citizens. The experience left a strong impact on the participants, instilling in them a deeper appreciation for nature and the urgent need to protect it.
With the support of national and state environmental bodies, and the guidance of their mentors and teachers, these young volunteers proved that even small acts of service can lead to big changes for our planet.
Panaji, June 2025 – Much of the fish produce marketed as ‘fresh’ in Goa today is neither fresh, local, nor wild, according to marine conservationist, Dr Aaron Savio Lobo, who at a recent MOG Sundays talk at the Museum of Goa in Pilerne, also urged Goans to look beyond the ubiquitous snapper, chonak and kingfish varieties to enhance nutrition in their staple thali.
In his talk, titled ‘It’s Raining Fish – Hallelujah!’ Lobo also said that overfishing in the seas off Goa was reducing the ‘catch-per-effort’ ratio in the state, calling for a cap on the number of fishing vessels going out to sea. “The catch-per-effort is declining. We don’t understand how much fish is in the sea. The issue is too many boats chasing too few fish, which need to be regulated by limiting the number of vessels going out to sea.”
During the monsoon fishing ban, the Margao Wholesale Fish Market continues to offer seafood varieties like saundale (false trevally) and isvan (kingfish). Lobo revealed that many of these, including popular options like chonak, are farmed in other states and brought into Goa.
The marine conservationist said that there had been an erosion of fish diversity in Goa’s local diet due to class perceptions, tourism demands and market homogeneity. Bland, mass-produced varieties are replacing many nutritious species. “Some may look odd, but are perfectly delicious, diverse, and healthy, like the tambde balle or the red eel. It makes for a very delicious ambotik curry,” says Lobo. “Locals should go beyond the usual snapper, chonak and kingfish.”
India is now the third largest seafood producer globally, yet it ranks only sixth in wild capture fisheries, Lobo said, adding, that while aquaculture has seen a gain in momentum, wild fish remain nutritionally superior, rich in essential micronutrients like selenium, calcium and omega-3s, nutrients, that are often deficient in farmed fish.
Lobo also highlighted the rich productivity of coastal ecosystems during the monsoons, like estuaries that are fed by nutrient-rich plumes, creating a spawning ground for diverse marine life. Mudflats and mangroves are important for fish to breed and grow, he said, adding that areas like the Chapora river mouth are vital nurseries. Traditionally, Goans relied on dried fish and kanji to satisfy their fish cravings during the monsoon fishing ban; today, however, markets remain flooded with fish, often imported or farmed, like pangasius, roopchand and the Norwegian Atlantic Salmon, species far removed from Goa’s ecology, he said.
Dr Lobo also touched on the importance of seafood literacy and gave pointers to identifying fresh fish in the marketplace. “If something smells fishy, it probably is,” Lobo said, adding that while many rely on the gill colour and eye clarity to judge freshness, smell is the most reliable indicator.
He encouraged parents to teach their children to reconnect with fish ecologies by taking them fishing. “That’s what I do with my son almost every weekend. We go out first thing in the morning. I’ll take them around, get them to hack a fish. You need to be able to catch, kill and smell a fresh fish, and know the difference between a ‘fishy’ fish and a fresh fish,” he said.
