Indian Mackerel. | Photo Credit: H VIBHU
Fishing doesn’t have to be a lottery. It can be a scientific endeavor, where researchers map the movements of various fish species, identify hotspots, and provide specific areas where fishermen can hunt, thus saving time, money, and fuel as they go.
The Indian National Center for Ocean Information Systems (INCOIS) based in Hyderabad, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), has been successfully issuing daily advisories on Potential Fishing Zones (PFZs) for tuna and other marine species by studying ocean temperatures and chlorophyll. distribution. Counseling is provided in English, Hindi, and eight languages of the coastal region for the benefit of communities estimated at nine lakh or more.
Nutrient influx
INCOIS scientists have now discovered that ‘Malabar sea upwelling’, a process of deep nutrient-rich water rising to the surface, plays an important role in determining the abundance of mackerel on India’s south-west coast.
The influx of nutrients into the ocean supports the growth of plankton, which attracts small fish to eat and spawn. These small fish, in turn, attract mackerel to these feeding grounds. Additionally, rainfall patterns and variations in sea water temperature at various depths have been found to influence mackerel fishing along the Malabar coast.
Scientists say the findings of a study conducted to better understand the relationship between ocean conditions and mackerel availability have important implications for sustainable fisheries management in Karnataka and Kerala.
“Our research provides important insight into predicting mackerel catchment areas by identifying sea temperatures at various depths and other key factors that help optimize fishing activities. This information can help fishermen target mackerel-rich areas, reduce fuel consumption and improve their catch rate”TM Balakrishnan Nair INCOIS Group Director, Ocean Modeling Assimilation and Research Services Group
“Our research provides important insight into predicting mackerel catchment areas by identifying sea temperatures at various depths and other important factors that help improve fishing activities. This information can help fishermen identify the areas with the most mackerel, reduce fuel consumption and improve their catch rate,” said INCOIS Group Director, Ocean Modeling Assimilation and Research Services Group, TM Balakrishnan Nair.
Predictive AI models
He pointed out that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are at the core of developing a forecasting model for Indian mackerel PFZ advisories, making more accurate and timely recommendations to fishermen.
These findings can provide valuable information to policy makers in developing sustainable fisheries management strategies to ensure the long-term health of mackerel populations and the continued livelihoods of those who depend on them. Efforts are being made to convert PFZ advisories into forecasting tools.
India accounts for 90% of the world’s mackerel production. While 77% of the country’s mackerel production comes from the west coast, 23% comes from the east coast. The study also examines the relationship between local PFZ lines and nearshore mackerel arrivals.
Other scientists who participated in the study—A multi-year study of the Malabar upwelling system influencing the arrival of Indian Mackerel off the coast of Karnataka and Kerala, in the Southeast Arabian Sea.— by S. Jha, SD Sudhakar, S. Majumder and S . Joseph. The study was published in the latest issue of the Journal of Marine Systems.
Published – October 05, 2024 08:35 am IST