“Bhavasagara” Referral Centre at the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) in Kochi, houses over 3,500 taxonomically identified and geo-referenced voucher specimens.
- Agharkar Research Institute Pune, for its collection of Microorganisms and National Fungal Culture Collection.
- Under the Biological Diversity Act, the repository will securely preserve biological samples, act as custodian of newly discovered deep-sea species, and build expertise in deep-sea taxonomy aligned with the UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021–2030).
About the Deep Sea
- Definition: Refers to ocean regions below 200 meters, extending from the twilight zone to the abyssal plains and deep seabed.
- It is the oldest and largest biome on Earth, constituting nearly 90–95% of Earth’s habitable space.
Global Frameworks Protecting the Marine Environment
- UNCLOS: Global legal order to protect the marine environment and manage the equitable utilization of ocean resources.
- Convention on Biological Diversity: Promotes the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components, and equitable sharing of genetic resource benefits.
- SDG 14: Focuses on conserving "Life Below Water”.
- High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement):Legally binding, it protects waters outside national jurisdictions.
