Mangroves in India: a unique Marine Ecosystem

India has a long tradition of mangrove forest management. The Sundarbans mangroves, located in the Bay of Bengal (partly in India and partly in Bangladesh), were the first mangroves in the world to be put under scientific management. The area's first management plan was implemented in 1892. Recognizing the importance of mangroves, the Government of India set up the National Mangrove Committee in the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1976 to advise the government about mangrove conservation and development. In its first meeting, the panel, which consists of scientists, research scholars and experts on the mangrove ecosystem, emphasized the need to conduct a survey of the extent of existing mangrove areas within the country.