NEW DELHI: As climate change alters ocean temperature, marine habitats and distribution of fish stocks, scientists from govt institutions, including Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), have called for using satellite-based decision support systems and a framework for sustainable fisheries management in the country where the livelihood of about 30 million fisherfolk is linked to fisheries and allied activities.They, while participating in the 47th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing this week, proposed strengthening early warning and fisheries advisories using satellite technologies, underlining that timely information on ocean conditions, potential fishing zones and weather-related risks could help fishers make better-informed decisions.With the climate change leading to marine heatwaves and shifts in the distribution of marine species, affecting fish availability, fishing operations and the livelihoods of communities dependent on marine resources, Shubhadeep Ghosh, ICAR’s assistant director general, said, “These challenges underscore the need for science-based monitoring systems and adaptive fisheries management.”Marine experts, including scientists from ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), during the conference explored the potential of remote sensing to help address these challenges by integrating satellite-derived information on sea surface temperature, ocean colour and other oceanographic conditions with fisheries data, field observations and scientific assessments.
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They said such integration can strengthen understanding of changing marine environments and support more informed fisheries planning, and pitched for improved communication and last-mile delivery of advisories to translate scientific information into practical benefits.ICAR-CMFRI in its handbook on “application of GIS as a decision support tool in marine fisheries” noted that Remote Sensing (RS) is the first satellite-based technology which overhauled marine fisheries prediction, based on ocean temperature, ocean colour and chlorophyll content.It said, “Satellite based technologies, which are capable of handling spatial data, revolutionized natural resource management over a period of time”.
