Brief commentary on the impact of global climate change on fisheries and aquaculture with special reference to India

Abstract

Climate Change is a global phenomenon and is one of the burning glitches and emerging environmental issues in present time. The impact of climate change is manifold and having indelible impact on all aspects of earth life and biodiversity. Fisheries and Aquaculture have been considered as an important branch of Indian subcontinent economy associated with agriculture and allied sectors. Millions of stakeholders are dependent directly or indirectly on aquaculture and fisheriessector for their livelihood belonging mostly to the bottom of economic pyramid with lower incomes, unorganized jobs, greater socio-economic vulnerability. Often they are under privileged andmostly affected by the vagaries of climate change. Erratic temperature and rainfall patterns, storm-water surges, salinity invasion, increasing sea-surface temperature, oceanic acidification, salinization of freshwater resources associated with tropical cyclones such as Aila, Fani, Bulbul to the very recent Amphan and Nisarga has created a havoc loss in fisheries and aquaculture sector in both east and west coast of India as well as along Bangladesh coast. Frequent natural disasters associated with global climate change have been a common global phenomenon since last decade. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand the crucial interplay between multifarious impacts of global climate change on fisheries as well as aquaculture sector. Innovation and proper incubation of entrepreneurial opportunities in fisheries and aquaculture sector might provide the necessary oxygen for growth and proliferation. This can also help other developing economies relying on fish and aquaculture resources to develop a holistic approach on similar lines. This scientific communication throws light on these aspects through a brief commentary. INTRODUCTION: Ecosystems across the world are facing unanticipated changes due to fluctuations of global climate since the last century (Guldberg and Bruno, 2010; Pachauri, 2007)). The comprehensive understanding of how anthropogenic