Illegal Trade of Wildlife in the Indian Ocean Region and Legal Provisions to Combat the Same

In simple terms, wildlife trafficking can be defined as the illegal capture and trade of animals. It is a crime that is constantly growing with time and is not limited to terrestrial species alone. Trafficking of marine creatures not only causes the population of the trafficked species to deplete, but also adversely affects the already fragile marine ecosystem. Despite the fact that sea cucumbers and sea horses have been included in Schedule One of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, making them immune to any form of commercial exploitation, the smuggling of these species is a very significant problem in the Indian Ocean Region, especially in the sea around Lakshadweep, the sea around Tamil Nadu and in the region between the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait. The importance of sea cucumbers and sea horses to the marine ecosystem is explored in this chapter. The social and environmental consequences of trafficking of these species is also elaborated upon in this chapter. The trade of sea cucumbers and sea horses is completely prohibited in India, while Sri Lanka allows their trade after licenses have duly been obtained by the people involved. This makes the regulation of illegal trade of these creatures even more difficult for Indian authorities given the locational proximity of the two countries. The involvement of Sri Lankan nationals in smuggling operations further complicates the matter. This chapter analyzes such smuggling operations in detail, steps taken by the Indian government to combat this illegal trade and their impact on the local communities. Finally, the relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and CITES and their deployment to combat this problem are also examined.