Kochi, Nov 5 (PTI) India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives have joined hands to launch a regional research network aimed at strengthening climate-resilient fisheries in the Bay of Bengal region by integrating oceanographic observations, climate information and fisheries data, ICAR-CMFRI officials said on Thursday.
ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in a statement said that the Bay of Bengal Network of Ocean Researchers for Fisheries (BOB-NOR) aims to improve understanding of changing fish populations and promote science-based approaches to fisheries research and management.
The network was launched at an international meeting held at the ICAR-CMFRI here on the sidelines of an international symposium on fisheries and remote sensing.
“The meeting brought together representatives from the four participating countries and oceanographers and marine scientists from several nations, including the US, Brazil, Chile, Portugal, the UK and Greece. The initiative will bring together ocean researchers, fisheries scientists and experts to integrate satellite observations, oceanographic surveys, climate indicators and fisheries data,” the statement said.
It will examine how changes in sea temperature, monsoon patterns, salinity, ocean productivity and ocean currents affect fish distribution, migration, recruitment and abundance, enabling predictive and climate-informed fisheries management beyond conventional catch-based assessments, CMFRI said.
The network is coordinated by the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO).
Unveiling the initiative, BOBP-IGO Director P Krishnan said in the statement that the network would bridge the gap between oceanographic research and fisheries management by bringing together researchers and experts from Bay of Bengal countries.
He said it would promote scientific collaboration and the use of ocean observations for informed fisheries management.
The meeting was hosted by the Union Fisheries Department and supported by GEO Blue Planet and the Trevor Platt Science Foundation, CMFRI said.
In a message, Union Fisheries Joint Secretary Surabhi Rai said the initiative in the Bay of Bengal region could serve as a model for evidence-based fisheries management worldwide.
B Meenakumari, former Deputy Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), was the chief guest at the launch.
Emphasising the importance of science-based fisheries management amid changing ocean conditions, she said that data-driven management and reliable, timely advisories based on key ocean parameters, such as sea surface temperature, were essential to help fishers make informed decisions, the statement added.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)