Mercury rise pushes fishing to limits

Kozhikode: A rise in sea surface temperature off Arabian coast due to the climate change is driving our fish wealth to deeper waters. According to the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) studies, fishes like Sardines and Mackerels have moved to deeper waters and affecting the livelihood of Indian fishermen.

According to studies by there have been a rise of about 1 degree Celsius in sea surface temperature. Experts say fishes are very sensitive and respond to even slight changes in temperature and chemical character of sea water. CMFRI studies have also suggested that many fish varieties that were common to the Kerala coast have moved up north and are found near states like Gujarat.

A rise in sea surface temperature could also affect the migration of native fishes and also their breeding patterns, experts said.

CMFRI team is carrying out research works to understand the larger ecological changes owing to climate change in Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. The CMFRI vessel, F V Silver Pompano, which is fitted with state of the art instruments like Underway CTD Sampler, Doppler Current Meter and instruments for chlorophyll measurements, zooplankton and sediment sampling, carries out the research and vessel is now on a mission to study about ‘Chakara’, (a mass colony of fishes close to the coast) near Alleppey.

The vessel, which is fitted with an automatic weather station, continuously record the atmospheric parameters like temperature, rainfall and humidity.

“The sea surface temperature rise is a cause of worry and could be considered the direct attribute of climate change. We have found many fish varieties, which were usually found closer to the coast, have moved to deeper waters. We are in the process of acquiring one more vessel, R V Kadalmeen, for carrying out similar research in Indian Ocean,” PU Zacharia, principal scientist at CMFRI told Deccan Chronicle.

Zacharia said the availability of planktons, the main food of fishes, has also come down near the coastal areas and that could also push fishes further deep. Ideal temperature is very crucial for the growth of zooplanktons and the rise in sea surface temperature has been adversely affecting the availability.