Kochi to Host Workshop on Ocean Accounts for Coastal States on August 29
The Kochi workshop will bring together stakeholders from MoSPI, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), State Directorates of Economics and Statistics, Fisheries and Tourism Departments of coastal states, members of the Expert Group on Ocean Ecosystem Accounts, and leading ocean research organisations.
New Delhi, August 27: The National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), in collaboration with the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES), Kerala, will organise a one-day workshop on “Capacity Building of Coastal States on Development of Ocean Accounts” in Kochi on Friday, August 29.
The workshop aims to encourage coastal states and Union Territories to create their own Ocean Accounts, paving the way for the development of national-level accounts aligned with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) framework. This initiative will help India fulfil international commitments while promoting sustainable ocean management.
MoSPI has already released a guiding document, “Ocean Ecosystem Accounts in India: A Framework” in January 2025, which integrates ecological and economic data on ocean ecosystems across parameters such as extent, condition, services, and asset accounts.
Broad Participation
The Kochi workshop will bring together stakeholders from MoSPI, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), State Directorates of Economics and Statistics, Fisheries and Tourism Departments of coastal states, members of the Expert Group on Ocean Ecosystem Accounts, and leading ocean research organisations. Senior dignitaries including the Secretary (MoSPI), Director General (Central Statistics), and senior officers of the Kerala government are expected to attend.
Technical Sessions
- Session I: Overview of SEEA, India’s Ocean Ecosystem Accounts framework, global best practices, and data availability specific to the Kerala coast.
- Session II: Presentation of “Ocean Accounting Segment of the Blue Economy Pathways: A Case Study of Tamil Nadu”, along with discussions on climate change, its impact on marine living resources, innovations in oceanography, and an open Q&A session.
Officials said the workshop will provide a platform for knowledge sharing, building capacity, and enabling states to contribute to a national ocean accounting framework that balances economic growth with sustainability.
