June 23, 2026

Socio‑Ecological and Economic Valuation of Artificial‑Reef‑Driven Restoration of Vaan Island, Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu, India

Vaan Island is one of the 21 uninhabited coral islands of the Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu. Having lost about 92% of its area due to erosion since 1969, the island was on the verge of submergence. The timely intervention by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change of Government of India and Department of Environment and Climate Change of Government of Tamil Nadu helped to save the island from submergence through the deployment of multipurpose artificial reef modules with the technical support of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute (SDMRI), Tuticorin. The objectives of the deployment of these modules were (1) to protect the island from erosion, (2) to increase biodiversity particularly coral diversity and (3) to enhance fish production and thereby to ensure sustained livelihood to the dependent small-scale fisher folk.

The report “Socio‑Ecological and Economic Valuation of Artificial‑Reef‑Driven Restoration of Vaan Island, Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu, India” presents the results of a comprehensive economic evaluation of this novel effort using the data from the decadal assessment (2015–2025) of the deployment of artificial reef module to stabilize the critically eroded Vaan Island in the Gulf of Mannar, and it was brought out by Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department and Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission of Government of Tamil Nadu in partnership with IIT Madras and SDMRI, Tuticorin.