CMFRI embarks on climate change education mission for fishing communities

In response to the harsh impacts of climate change on fishing communities, the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has launched an initiative to raise awareness among fishermen about these issues.

The awareness campaign was recently conducted under the National Innovation in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project.

As part of the initiative, experts from the institute explained to the fishing community in Kuzhippilly and Chellanam, two major fishing hamlets here, about the science behind climate change, its effects on fisheries and the adaptation strategies to reduce its impact on livelihoods.

According to the scientists, rising sea surface temperatures are resulting in migration of many economically harvestable fish stocks to relatively cooler waters, leading to a shift in fish distribution and thus affecting fish catches.

They also said that rising temperatures are causing a drop in dissolved oxygen levels in inland waters.

This could lead to increased fish kills and leave aquatic species susceptible to disease due to weakened immune systems, she added.

The awareness campaign was led by Dr.Grinson George, principal investigator of the project, Dr. Ratheesh Kumar R, center coordinator and Dr. Reshma Gills, co-principal investigator.

During the interactive session, the fishing community of both villages identified problems they face, including lack of marketing facilities and poor catches, a CMFRI statement said.

To address the problem of shortening the shelf life of locally harvested fish due to rising temperatures, CMFRI distributed ice chests to the fishermen’s wives in Chellanam.

A total of 37 boxes have been made available to women from the fishing communities involved in local fishing activities in the village.

They were also provided with gillnets, cast nets, pots and sea bass fish seeds during the program.

At separate meetings in two villages, Kuzhippilly Panchayat president Nibin KS, Chellanam Panchayat president KL Joseph, former Chellanam panchayat president KP Prasad, ward members KK Krishna Kumar and Radha Krishnan were present, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)