This story is from April 12, 2015

‘Goa’s mangroves most vulnerable’

Mangroves have been accorded most vulnerable status in the event of an oil spill, by the environment sensitivity index (ESI) map of Goa part of the Goa state oil spill disaster contingency plan released on Friday.
‘Goa’s mangroves most vulnerable’
Mangroves have been accorded most vulnerable status in the event of an oil spill, by the environment sensitivity index (ESI) map of Goa part of the Goa state oil spill disaster contingency plan released on Friday.
PANAJI: Mangroves have been accorded most vulnerable status in the event of an oil spill, by the environment sensitivity index (ESI) map of Goa part of the Goa state oil spill disaster contingency plan released on Friday. Mangroves found along the course of Mandovi and Zuari rivers with a healthy growth along the stretch of the Cumbarjua canal (which connects the two rivers), have been given the highest rank on the ESI scale- ESI 10, ranking higher than tidal flats, rocky shores and coarse and fine-grained sandy beaches along the state’s coast.
The several swampy lands present east of Panaji, are fertile grounds for mangrove vegetation and are also ranked 10 on the ESI scale.

Mangrove species including flora, fish and birds under threat are also detailed in the ESI map.
In the mangrove fauna category, crocodiles, lizards, turtles and mud clams–listed as ‘threatened’-feature in the high-risk category while snakes, otters, jackals, mud crabs, oysters (kalva), white clams (khube) and tiger prawns listed as ‘endangered’ feature in the medium-risk category.
Among the fish, the giant perch (chonak), mullets (shevte), sand whiting (muddoshi), snapper (tamoso), grouper (gobro) and thread fin (rauns) were listed as threatened and placed in the high-risk category while pear spot (kalunda), spotes cat, Harry hotlips (shetka), half beak (tonki), herring (patchali), trevally (konkar) and catfish (sangott) listed as engendered fell in the medium-risk category.
The cormorant, great cormorant, large egret, Indian shag, grey heron and painted stock-birds forming part of the mangrove ecosystem were at a higher risk compared to the little egret, small blue kingfisher, white breasted kingfisher, black-capped kingfisher, collard kingfisher, western reef egret, blue breasted rail, Asian koel, rose-ringed parakeet, common myna, jungle myna, brahminy kite, spotted dove and pond heron.

Tidal flats found along the course of Mandovi and Zuari rivers have been accorded the second-most vulnerable status after mangroves. These areas are submerged in water during high tide and should a spill coincide with a high tide, the report says, it may spread over tidal flats which can cause hardships to organisms taking shelter there.
Majority of beaches in South Goa including Bambolim, Bogmalo, Betul, Agonda and Palolem belong to the category of medium to coarse grained sandy beaches which have been ranked in the lower ESI-4 category. Colva, Majorda, Benaulim, Mobor, Varca and Cansaulim consisting of stretches of fine-grained sandy beaches are at a lower risk, falling into the ESI 3 category. Fine grain doesn’t allow the oil to percolate into the sand, making cleaning operations easier. The spread oil is instead taken back into the sea by the wave action and therefore allotted a lower ranking on the ESI scale.
Rocky shores, cliffs and headlands also found along the shoreline of South Goa have been given the lowest ranking in the ESI index. The rocky shoreline reflects back spill hence there is very less chance of accumulation of spill.
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