LocationsBy Abhishek Gijare and Rohit Sawant
Guardians of the Reef: How Young Divers in Sindhudurg Are Championing Coral Conservation
June 8, 2026
Bhushan (38) has held a curiosity to understand nature since his childhood. A resident of Tarkarli Village in Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra, he observes marine life every day as a fisherman and as an ethical snorkelling & scuba instructor.
Pavan Patil / UNDP India
A Childhood Shaped by the Sea
Bhushan Juwatkar says the sea is in his DNA. As indigenous fishers, his family has sailed in the cerulean waters of Arabian sea along India’s western coast for generations. The sea is stitched into his childhood through the coarse scratch of rope against palms, the damp weight of nets lifted at dawn, the creak of wooden boards under bare feet, and the faint iron smell of fish. For over a decade now, Bhushan has been associated with projects supported by UNDP India, focused on the resilient management of Indian coasts in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra.
UNDP India
Discovering the World Beneath the Waves
Firstly, under GoI-UNDP-GEF Sindhudurg Project (2012-2018), Bhushan was among twenty young people from the district selected for Dive Master–level training that was offered as an additional livelihood opportunity. “I was just twenty when I put on the snorkelling mask and dove underwater,” he says. “That memory was magical.” He describes swimming around sargassum seaweed as if moving through dense jungle bushes. Then came his first view of corals, Turbinaria, they looked exactly like bowls. “I told my instructor someone must have dropped their bowl underwater.” The laughter that followed stayed with him because it marked his first real understanding of the underwater world.
Training introduced Bhushan and other young divers to marine biology, coral ecosystems and ethical tourism practices. What had once been known through instinct and observations was now also understood through ecology. Coral reefs were no longer only beautiful underwater formations. They were nurseries for fish, anchors for biodiversity, and part of the natural infrastructure on which coastal economies depend.
Divers at the Heart of Coral Restoration
Today, under the Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities (ECRICC) Project, implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and supported by the Green Climate Fund and UNDP India, local divers like Bhushan are expected to play an enhanced role in community-led coral conservation. With their knowledge of marine ecosystem and community connect, they will translate benefits of underwater restoration into language that makes sense on shore. Divers will also support the deployment of artificial reefs and in-situ coral nurseries. After deployment, they will assist in monitoring and maintenance.
Sindhudurg Coastal and Marine Ecosystem is a collective of multiple ecosystems such as coral reefs, rocky shores, mangroves, beaches, estuaries, and mud flats. This diversity reflects in the richness of the local marine biodiversity. About 30 species of corals, 108 [AG3.1]species of marine fish and 7 species of marine mammals, including ocean titans such as the blue whale, are found here.
Rohit Sawant / UNDP India
Why Sindhudurg’s Reefs Matter
Sindhudurg Coastal and Marine Ecosystem (SCME) is one of the 11 ecologically and economically critical habitats identified along the Indian coast. In 2012, Maharashtra Forest Department became first in India to form Mangrove Cell, for the conservation of Mangrove and Marine Ecosystems. Mangrove Cell has been the nodal department in the implementation of ECRICC Project in the state.
“Coral Reefs in Sindhudurg are among the seven protected marine areas within India. The local community holds an intricate bond with the sea and can play a vital role in it's conservation. Hence, we also proactively conduct training and awareness activities for them on sustainable fishing, less intrusive tours and underwater dives. Many locals are actively supporting the forest staff in the rescue of endangered species such as turtles, and dolphins,” says Dr Ravikiran Govekar, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Mangrove Cell Mumbai who is ex-officio State Project Director of ECRICC in Maharashtra.
Bhushan, along with Jagdish Todankar, Sujit Mondkar, Akshay Revankar, Premanand Paradkar, Darshan Vengurlekar, Prashant Todankar, Jitendra Shirsekar, Vasant Yeram, Vijay Kolamkar, Yatin Methar and Nupur Tari amongst others,[AG4.1] formed a voluntary group a decade ago. They contribute 20% of their income for this group and conduct clean-up drives and raise awareness amongst local tour operators on the sustainable practices of eco-tourism.
Pavan Patil / UNDP India
From Dive Training to Climate Action
Bhushan’s own climate action intensified during his Dive Master training. The syllabus demanded sixty mandatory dives. Instead of treating them as a checklist, he and his batchmates used those dives to remove ghost nets. Ghost nets are discarded fishing nets. When these nets get hinged around coral rocks, they can smother entire patches of life for kilometres. Fish, crustaceans, and other creatures pinned beneath a mesh net, lead to their deaths and subsequent destruction of an entire ecosystem. “Between 2016-2026, we have organised more than fifty clean-up drives. The solid waste collected accounts for several metric tonnes. Based on the area, one collects solid waste ranging between 300 kilos to 1.5 tonnes in a single drive,” Bhushan says.
Bhushan with his nephew on Tarkarli beach.
Amay Wanole / UNDP India
Restoring the Reef for the Next Generation
Bhushan’s generation has been a witness to extensive changes in the marine ecology of Sindhudurg. Through lived experience of depleting catch, near disappearance of fish species such as giant grouper and red snapper which were once abundant in these waters, they understand corals are essential not only for ecological balance but for the stability of their community. The proposed coral restoration carries a promise of a future in which the sea can recover. What keeps Bhushan engaged is a form of disciplined hope. “My nephew is 1.5 years old, and my niece is nine months old,” he says. “I want to take them on their first dive as soon as they turn ten. We have seen the sea getting degraded in our lifetime, but we want our children to see it getting better in their lifetime and we are ready to take action to achieve it.”
Abhishek Gijare is Communications Associate with GCF ECRICC Project Maharashtra and Rohit Sawant is District Coordination Associate- Sindhudurg with GCF ECRICC Project Maharashtra