CONTEXT OF THE NEWS

The “Bhavasagara” Referral Centre at CMLRE, Kochi has been designated as a National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

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BACKGROUND

• Relevant for:
  • GS Paper 3 (Environment & Biodiversity + Blue Economy)
• Supports:
  • Marine conservation and deep-sea research
• Linked to:
  • UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021–2030)

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NEWS BREAKDOWN

WHAT IS A NATIONAL REPOSITORY?

National Repository: An officially designated facility for collection, preservation, and documentation of biological specimens for research and conservation.

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ABOUT “BHAVASAGARA” REFERRAL CENTRE

• Located at:
  • Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi
• Status:
  • India’s first dedicated deep-sea fauna repository
• Legal basis:
  • Section 39, Biological Diversity Act, 2002

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KEY FEATURES

1. CURRENT HOLDINGS

• Over:
  • 3,500 specimens
• Includes:
  • Marine invertebrates:
    • Cnidarians
    • Molluscs
    • Arthropods
  • Vertebrates

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2. TAXONOMIC IMPORTANCE

Taxonomy: Scientific classification of organisms.

• Specimens are:
  • Taxonomically identified
  • Geo-referenced

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3. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Secure storage of:
  • Biological samples
  • DNA sequences
• Acts as:
  • Official custodian of new deep-sea species
• Supports:
  • Research & biodiversity documentation

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4. CAPACITY BUILDING

• Focus on:
  • Deep-sea taxonomy training
• Aligns with:
  • UN Ocean Science Decade (2021–2030)

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INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

CMLRE (Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology)

• Under:
  • Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)
• Role:
  • Exploration and conservation of:
    • Marine resources
    • Deep-sea ecosystems

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WHAT IS EEZ?

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): An area up to 200 nautical miles from a country’s coast where it has exclusive rights over marine resources.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT

1. Strengthens Marine Biodiversity Conservation

• Protects:
  • Rare and undiscovered deep-sea species

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2. Boosts Scientific Research

• Provides:
  • Centralized data and specimen access

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3. Supports Blue Economy

Blue Economy: Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth.

• Enhances:
  • Resource management
  • Marine innovation

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4. Enhances Global Collaboration

• Aligns with:
  • International ocean research initiatives

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PRELIMS FOCUS

• Bhavasagara = National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna
• Located at:
  • CMLRE, Kochi
• Legal basis:
  • Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (Section 39)
• Specimens:
  • 3500+
• CMLRE under:
  • Ministry of Earth Sciences
• EEZ limit:
  • 200 nautical miles

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CONCLUSION

Establishing a national deep-sea repository strengthens India’s marine research capacity and supports sustainable utilization of ocean resources under the Blue Economy framework.

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PRELIMS CHECK

Question 1

Consider the following statements:

1. Bhavasagara Referral Centre is designated as a National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna.
2. It operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
3. It is located in Kochi.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

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Question 2

With reference to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), consider the following:

1. It extends up to 200 nautical miles from the coast.
2. Coastal states have exclusive rights over resources in this zone.
3. It includes full sovereignty similar to territorial waters.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

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Question 3

Consider the following pairs:

Term	Description
1. CMLRE	Works under Ministry of Earth Sciences
2. Taxonomy	Study of classification of organisms
3. Blue Economy	Unsustainable use of ocean resources

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

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ANSWERS WITH EXPLANATION

Answer 1: (a) 1 and 3 only

• Repository designation – Correct
• CMLRE under MoES, not MoEFCC – Incorrect
• Located in Kochi – Correct

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Answer 2: (a) 1 and 2 only

• 200 nautical miles – Correct
• Resource rights – Correct
• Not full sovereignty – Incorrect

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Answer 3: (b) Only two

• CMLRE under MoES – Correct
• Taxonomy definition – Correct
• Blue Economy is sustainable, not unsustainable – Incorrect

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“Exploring the depths of our oceans today secures the sustainability of tomorrow.”