In line with the objectives envisaged in the Ocean Policy Statement, Department of Ocean Development supports the frontline areas in marine sector with an objective to create excellence in basic and applied research by assisting the universities to create infrastructure facilities and building up a skilled human resource base in ocean science and technology. To fulfill the objectives, Ocean Science & Technology Cells (OSTCs) have been set up for promotion of front- ranking research in specialised fields viz. Ocean Engineering & Underwater Robotics at IIT, Kharagpur, Marine Microbiology at Goa University, Marine Geology & Geophysics at Mangalore University, Beach Placers at Tamil University, Coastal Marine Culture Systems at Andhra University, Marine Biology at Annamalai University, Marine Benthos at Cochin University of S & T, Marine Coastal Ecology of West Coast at Bhavnagar University and Marine Coastal Ecology of East Coast at Berhampur University

During the year, 29 new projects were identified and supported for funding under the OSTCs in the priority sectors viz. Marine Microbiology (2 projects), Beach Placers (4 projects), Marine Coastal Culture Systems(4 projects), Marine Biology (6 projects), Marine Benthos (6 projects), Marine Coastal Ecology of West Coast (3 projects), Marine Coastal Ecology of East Coast (4 projects).

In addition, a project on recovery of chemicals from bittern was approved for funding to Central Salt and Marine Chemical Research Institute. Support to 12 ongoing projects was continued.

During the year OSTCs have conducted the training programme, refresher courses specifically targeted for teachers in the respective areas of interest.

Two research projects were completed during the year 2000. Under the project entitled 'Hydrogeochemistry, thermal structure and sedimentology of Priyadarshini lake, Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica' concluded by IIT Kanpur, thermal data were collected from the lake, which give the estimate of basic heat budget of Priyadarshini in particular and provide an insight to the thermal structure of Antarctic lakes in general. Sediment coring, dredging and water sampling have been carried out at different sites in the Priyadarshini and a few other lakes in the Western Schirmacher. Detailed mineralogical and chemical studies of the lake sediments provide important information about the sources of lacustrine sediments and processes operating within the lake system including its catchment area.

Another project entitled 'Conservation of seagrass ecosystem of the Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve- monitoring seagrass ecosystem characteristics and experimental transplantation studies' completed at Annamalai University also came out with interesting findings. A total of 13 species of seagrasses belonging to 6 genera were recorded from various parts of the Gulf of Mannar including the occurrence of species Halophila ovalis and Halophila stipulacea. First distributional records of Halophila decipiens in Manoli Island and H. beccariiin Chinnapalam area of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere reserve were also made during the present investigations.

During the year, support to fellowships was continued at universities and institutions viz. Madras University, National Chemical Laboratories, Goa University, Behrampur University, Anna University etc., in various disciplines of marine sciences. Some of the areas covered were - novel construction of potential microbial consortia for efficient removal of hydrocarbons and heavy metals, studies pertaining to microbial diversity, genetic studies in micro-organism models, extracelluler enzymes of industrial importance produced by fungal isolate from mangroves, biochemical ecology and biodiversity on phytoplankton, meioflora of the north Indian Ocean using biochemical and molecular biology tools, partition and cycling of trace metals in Chilka lake, etc. Extension was given to 14 Research personnel for continuation of further research.