1. About
Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem Project
The Bay of Bengal (BOB) in the northern Indian Ocean is one of the 66 Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) of the World. The BOBLME Project funded by the GEF sought to address the issue of the sustainability of the BOBLME region through a regional cooperative framework. The first phase of the project implemented during 2009-15, identified four common areas of regional and national concerns viz., overfishing, critical habitat degradation, pollution, and socio-economic challenges. A Strategic Action Programme (SAP) was developed which called for an institutional mechanism for addressing these problems through regional collective action.
Map of BOBLME Region
Documents from Phase I of the project are available at Read more...
Phase II
The second phase of the project is titled “Sustainable management of fisheries, marine living resources and their habitats in the Bay of Bengal region for the benefit of coastal states and communities”. The project is funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and is implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of UN, in partnership with three executing agencies viz., Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Southeast Asia Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC).
2. Country Profile
| Country | Exclusive Economic Zone (sq. km.) | Total Population (million) | Population of fishermen (000);year | Marine Protected Areas (numbers) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 1,18,000 | 174 | 520(2014) | 5 |
| India | 2.02 million | 1455 | 28000(2021) | *124 |
| Indonesia | 2.7 million | 284 | 2400(2022) | 1 |
| Malaysia | 3,34,671 | 35 | 116(2022) | 51 |
| Maldives | 8,59,000 | 0.53 | 20(2019) | 93 |
| Myanmar | 4,86,000 | 54 | 3220(2016) | 4 |
| Sri Lanka | 5,17,000 | 23 | 220(2021) | 28 |
| Thailand | 4,20,280 | 72 | 220(2021) | 11 |
| References: FAO, Worldometer, BOBP, Statista, SEAFDEC. | ||||
| *24 in main land & 100 in islands | ||||
3. Components
- Component 1. Sustainable Management of Fisheries
- Component 2. Restoration and conservation of critical marine habitats and conservation of biodiversity
- Component 3. Management of coastal and marine pollution to improve ecosystem health.
- Component 4. Improved livelihoods and enhanced resilience of the BOBLME
- Component 5. Regional mechanism for planning, coordination, and monitoring of the BOBLME.
4. News and Gallery
5.Events
| Year | Location | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11-13 August Naifaru Island, Maldives |
National Consultative Workshop on BOBLME Phase II Project Implementation in Maldives Read more... |
| 2024 | 21-23 March Chennai, India |
National Consultative Workshop on BOBLME Project II Implementation in India's Bay of Bengal Region Read more... |
| 2024 | 27-29 February Dhaka, Bangladesh |
National Consultative Workshop on BOBLME Phase II Project Implementation in Bangladesh Read more... |
| 2024 | 16-17 January Colombo, Sri Lanka |
National Consultative Workshop on BOBLME Phase II Project Implementation in Sri Lanka Read more... |
| 2024 | Negombo, Sri Lanka | Sub-Regional Planning Meeting on Implementation of the BOBLME Project Read more... |
| 2024 | Hanoi, Vietnam | Regional project to curb sea-based marine plastic litter initiated: BOBP-IGO called for inter-project cooperation Read more... |
| 2024 | Rome | IFISH Read more... |
| 2023 | Bangkok | Regional inception meeting of the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem Project (BOBLME) Phase II Read more... |
| 2023 | New Delhi | Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD-2023) Read more... |
6. Opportunities
7. Documents and Reports
Results and Achievements of the BOBLME Project (Phase I): Read more...
Work Plan 2024: Read more...