Kochi: The United States’ reciprocal tariffs on seafood trade are placing Indian fishers in increasingly vulnerable economic positions, according to experts at a two-day national seminar on ‘Mitigating Climate Change Impact on Marine Ecosystems.’
The seminar, jointly organised here by the ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi, is sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi.
It also highlighted the urgent need for a proper action plan for climate change mitigation and ecosystem restoration.
Marine scientists, citing shifts in species biology, distribution, and environmental conditions, warned that climate change is significantly transforming marine ecosystems and fisheries in India.
Dr. K. R. Sreenath, Director of the Fishery Survey of India, who inaugurated the seminar yesterday, said the effects of climate change are evident in the coral reef bleaching in Lakshadweep, which poses a serious threat to biodiversity and coastal protection.
He stressed the urgent need for accurate prediction models for weather events and fish species distribution and abundance, which are essential for sustainable fisheries planning and disaster risk reduction.
Dr. K. Mohammed Koya, Fisheries Development Commissioner, Government of India, said climate change has drastically altered the Lakshadweep ecosystem, significantly impacting fisheries.
He noted that seagrass beds have been damaged and stressed the importance of effective restoration.
Introducing seaweed farming in the lagoons, he suggested, could attract rare species and benefit local fishing.
The central government’s carbon market system could also incentivise fishermen and fish farmers to adopt such restorative practices.
Prof. Vinod Sharma, Climate Change Advisor to the Government of Sikkim, said coastal shorelines have been changing more rapidly since 2000 due to climate-related events.
“The Arabian Sea has seen a recent increase in the frequency of cyclones. This has led to greater saltwater intrusion in vulnerable coastal areas, seriously impacting the health of local communities,” he added.
Dr. Surajit Mahalanobis, Senior Research Fellow at the ISS, presented an overview of the seminar. Dr. Shoba Joe Kizhakudan and Dr. Pooja Sharma also spoke at the inauguration.
A wide range of topics — including adaptive management strategies, socio-economic resilience, nature-based solutions, innovation, and emerging technologies — are being discussed at the seminar, which will conclude on Wednesday.
CMFRI Director Dr. Grinson George said a key concern is the change in fish phenology — or life cycle patterns — where commercially important species are now maturing at smaller sizes. “Silver pomfret now matures at 280 g, down from 410 g. Similar reductions in size and fecundity are being seen in coastal prawns, sardines, and mackerels, affecting reproductive success and recruitment into fisheries,” he said.
On shifts in fish stock geography, he highlighted the northward migration of species such as the Indian oil sardine, a trend predicted under future climate scenarios driven by changes in food availability, rainfall, oceanic upwelling, and oxygen levels.
According to him, fishermen lose a considerable number of fishing days each year due to cyclone warnings and other extreme weather events. He emphasised that a community-oriented approach must be integral to policy-making to ensure local support and the long-term success of conservation and adaptation efforts.
