A critique of the Coastal Regulation Zone rules studies their implementation, and violations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, which has experienced massive growth due to rapid economic transformation and urbanisation, resulting in degradation of and damage to sensitive coastal ecologies. Mumbai's artisanal fishers, especially the Kolis, are intensely subjected to survival and livelihood pressures. Sustaining the livelihoods of the Kolis and preserving coastal ecosystems is crucial for the city's sustainability. An evaluation of the state's role in implementing CRZ rules links the politics around CRZ to larger issues of livelihood and environmental sustainability. Field research in selected sites provides insights for small-scale fishery-based livelihoods and environmental sustainability.