CMFRI maps 161 marine mammal strandings along Indian coast

Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has documented 161 marine mammal stranding cases along the Indian coast during 2024-25, with Goa accounting for the highest number of cases (113), followed by Keralam (13), and Maharashtra (11).

The institute developed Geographic Information System (GIS)-based map to understand stranding patterns and strengthen conservation efforts. The study was presented at the international symposium on fisheries and remote sensing at the CMFRI here, according to a release.

The study, led by senior scientist Ratheesh Kumar Raveendran, documented that humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) accounted for the highest number of strandings (82) along the Indian coast, followed by Indo-Pacific finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) with 44.