Regional strategy for coral reef management in South Asia

South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) initiated specific programmes to d al with the management and conservation issues by establishing the South Asia Coral Reef Task Force (SACRTF). In the first meeting of SACRTF, it was decided to develop a regional strategy for coral reef mal agement in South Asia and the task was assigned to GEER Foundation, India. The strategy document essentially emphasizes strengthening of institutions viz. policy making institutions, management level government agencies, research and academic institutions, NGOs and village level organizations involved as stakeholders in coral reef management. The proposed strategy suggests that after a thorough scrutiny of their expected roles, existing capabilities and available infrastructure facilities, various institutions and organizations should be covered by organization specific capacity building programmes addressing the identified gap '.