A proposed 100-tank aquarium in Mangalore, India, is heading into the first stage of the approval process. The aquarium, complete with a specialist library and aquatic museum, would aim to educate about and conserve the ocean life and ecosystems of the nearby Karnataka coast.

Once the oceanarium project report is authorised by the fisheries department, it will go to the Cabinet for approval. The project will cost Rs16 crore (US$2.6m, €2m, £1.6m) to build the Vamanjoor-based attraction.

The plans signal that the aquarium would exhibit around 300 different marine and freshwater species, and 100 species of plants and invertebrates. It would be the first visitor attraction of its type in Karnataka state.

Another oceanarium, which would be the country’s largest, has also recently broken ground in Diu, Saurashtra peninsula.