The Gulf of Kutch is situated in Saurashtra in the western State of Gujarat in India. The region is an arid peninsula. Economic development was historically centered around the port facilities offered by the Gulf. Sea trade and fishing were important traditional occupations. The Gulf is rich in marine wealth and biodiversity. The region was notified as a Marine National Park and Sanctuary (MNPS) in 1982. Since 1991, coral reefs and mangroves in the region have additionally been accorded the highest degree of protection under the 1991 Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification. Today the region is the centre of the industrial growth and economic boom in Gujarat.
