Publication abstracts
Title: The Bay of Bengal
Date: 2000
Abstract:
The Bay of Bengal has several remarkable features. It has a huge influx of fresh water from several major rivers, it is affected by intense northeast and southwest monsoon winds, of which the latter breed cyclones. In the bay there is a seasonal anticyclonic coastal current which is seasonally replaced by a cyclonic current, and unlike most coastal regions, there is a western boundary coastal upwelling.
The Bay supports various tropical biotopes such as brackish lakes, estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs, and offshore waters with a great diversity of marine fauna and flora. The steadily growing coastal population (~55 million) utilizes the coastal zone for several purposes. Increasing development pressure from urban settlements, industry, fishery, mariculture, ports and harbours has resulted in the alteration of coastline, loss of critical habitats, and pollution of the environment, giving rise to serious environmental and socio-economic problems. Massive education of the public about the environment, impending disasters, mitigation measures, and the need for conservation of resources and sustainable development are all crucial to our understanding or use of this unique sea. There is a need for the creation of a coastal zone management authority empowered to implement environmental regulations, and a need to establish regional scientific programmes.
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