Author(s):

M Haritha, KAS Nisha and PS Raja Sekhar

Abstract: Mangrove forests are considered as one of the rich ecological resources consists of salt tolerant plants and aquatic faunal species formed in intertidal zones of tropical and subtropical regions. These forests are least concerned and often over utilised by the human communities for their development in the process of housing, aquaculture or agricultural practices. This resulted in gradual change in ecology of mangrove forests and traditional dependency of the fishing communities. Thus the present study reports the ecological status of mangrove forests and the level of dependency of fishing communities in coringa mangroves. The study found that coringa mangroves consist of 34 floral species and the aquatic faunal resources on which the fishing communities primarily depending were identified as 38 species. It revealed that livelihood practices of fishermen community on coringa mangrove forest is being changed by commercial exploitation and growing industrial activity nearby Kakinada city after the recent up gradation of Kakinada sea port. Steps have to be taken to conserve these resources that reap environmental benefits besides providing livelihood to fishermen communities.

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