Marine experts have raised their concern over fast warming of Indian Ocean due to global warming, thereby posing a severe threat to species extinction.
Speaking at the opening session of a Winter School on climate change in marine fisheries organised by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, they pointed out that climate change is affecting Indian fisheries through changes in stock productivity and its distribution.
Inaugurating the 21-day winter school, A Ramachandran, Vice Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), said that climate change is causing floods and drought across the globe. Increased water temperature and higher carbon dioxide concentration make ocean more acidic. He warned that there would be a drop in productivity in future due to a gradual damage occurred to the ecosystem and biodiversity owing to climate change. Strong commitments of stakeholders and coordinated efforts are required to stimulate the growth of the country’s blue economy in a more sustainable way, he said.
A Gopalakrishnan, CMFRI Director said that Indian ocean is warming (0.11°C per decade) faster than the Atlantic (0.07°C per decade) and the Pacific (0.05°C per decade), and the sea surface temperature in Indian Ocean will increase by 0.60oC by 2050.
However, Indian marine fish harvesting is eco-friendlier compared to the global scenario. The marine fisheries is emitting 17.5 per cent less carbon footprints compared to the global averages when it comes to fishing materials involved in fishery, he said.
The CMFRI has catalogued resource-wise information and the institute is in the process of predicting fish biomass changes in oceans in future. It has also prepared adaptation strategies to climate change with action plan. Research on estimating primary productivity of Indian exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for assessing the carrying capacity in Indian waters with respect to climate change is also underway, he said.
According to PU Zacharia, course director of the Winter School and Head of the Demersal Fisheries, the country experienced 24 extreme climatic events around the Indian coasts resulting in loss of life and property. Estimates of climate change impacts are essential to devise climate change policies and suggest adaptation and mitigation measures.