COVID-19 lockdown improved the health of coastal environment and enhanced the population of reef-fish

Reduction in the impact of human-induced factors is capable of enhancing the environmental health. In view of COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns were imposed in India. Travel, fishing, tourism and religious activities were halted, while domestic and industrial activities were restricted. Comparison of the pre- and post-lockdown data shows that water parameters such as turbidity, nutrient concentration and microbial levels have come down from pre- to post-lockdown period, and parameters such as dissolved oxygen levels, phytoplankton and fish densities have improved. The concentration of macroplastics has also dropped from the range of 138 ± 4.12 and 616 ± 12.48 items/100 m(2) to 63 ± 3.92 and 347 ± 8.06 items/100 m(2). Fish density in the reef areas has increased from 406 no. 250 m(−2) to 510 no. 250 m(−2). The study allows an insight into the benefits of effective enforcement of various eco-protection regulations and proper management of the marine ecosystems to revive their health for biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization.