Tiny creatures of sea expose big story of Gujarat’s plastic waste
Researchers have discovered high levels of microplastic pollution in barnacles along the Gujarat coastline, including at the Blue Flag-certified Shivrajpur beach. The study links the contamination to poor waste management, industrial effluents, and fishing activities.
Why it matters
It highlights the failure of environmental standards in protecting marine ecosystems from the pervasive threat of plastic pollution.
VADODARA/AHMEDABAD: After making global headlines for slowing ships in the Persian Gulf during the Strait of Hormuz crisis, barnacles—tiny shell-covered marine creatures that cling to rocks and ship hulls—are now exposing alarming levels of microplastic pollution along Gujarat’s coastline.A study by researchers from Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University (HNGU) and the Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) has found that among 13 locations surveyed along the state’s coast, Shivrajpur recorded the highest concentration of microplastics in barnacles. Ironically, Shivrajpur is Gujarat’s Blue Flag-certified beach, internationally recognised for meeting the highest environmental, safety and cleanliness standards.Located about 12 km from Dwarka, the beach attracted nearly 6.8 lakh tourists in 2024.The researchers attributed the high levels of microplastics at Shivrajpur to poor waste management, indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste, fishing activities and the area’s geographic vulnerability.Published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin and highlighted by Nature, the study analysed eight species of barnacles along with seawater…
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