61
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
P. S. Goel et al. (eds.), Climate Change and the White World,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21679-5_5
Adaptation to Climate Change: A Fishery
Technology Perspective
C. N. Ravishankar and V. R. Madhu
Abstract Climate change is predicted to have direct and indirect impacts on capture and culture fisheries, for fishers, coastal communities and fisheries-dependent
economies. Capture fisheries by fishing vessels, is mostly driven by fossil fuels that
contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and forms one the largest contributor from
the fisheries sector. Transportation of catches, from the landing centers using different modes of transport is another source of emissions which contribute significantly
to the emissions. Fisheries may be impacted in different ways, which include
changes in the distribution of species due to latitudinal shifts or changes in the productivity of the system through processes that are repercussions due to climateinduced changes. A diverse range of direct and indirect climate affects, including
displacement and migration of coastal communities; impacts on infrastructure for
fishing; and changes in the frequency, intensity and distribution of extreme events
are predicted. The poorer and less empowered countries and individuals are more
vulnerable to climate impacts, and the vulnerability of fisheries is likely to be higher
in circumstances of overcapacity and over exploitation.
The interactions related to climate change is often complex, which includes
interactions between social, ecological and economic systems, and this makes
future predictions very difficult, however steps are required to develop models that
could help the policy makers to frame adaptation strategies. Fisheries governance
should aim towards equitable and sustainable options and should be flexible enough
to account for inherent uncertainties in the fisheries sector. However, adaptation
may be costly, so mitigation of emissions and other factors that contribute significantly to climate related issues should be the main recourse.
Keywords Fishery technology · Adaptation · Bycatch reduction devices ·
Trawling
C. N. Ravishankar (*) · V. R. Madhu
ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin, Kerala, India
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
P. S. Goel et al. (eds.), Climate Change and the White World,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21679-5_5
Adaptation to Climate Change: A Fishery
Technology Perspective
C. N. Ravishankar and V. R. Madhu
Abstract Climate change is predicted to have direct and indirect impacts on capture and culture fisheries, for fishers, coastal communities and fisheries-dependent
economies. Capture fisheries by fishing vessels, is mostly driven by fossil fuels that
contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and forms one the largest contributor from
the fisheries sector. Transportation of catches, from the landing centers using different modes of transport is another source of emissions which contribute significantly
to the emissions. Fisheries may be impacted in different ways, which include
changes in the distribution of species due to latitudinal shifts or changes in the productivity of the system through processes that are repercussions due to climateinduced changes. A diverse range of direct and indirect climate affects, including
displacement and migration of coastal communities; impacts on infrastructure for
fishing; and changes in the frequency, intensity and distribution of extreme events
are predicted. The poorer and less empowered countries and individuals are more
vulnerable to climate impacts, and the vulnerability of fisheries is likely to be higher
in circumstances of overcapacity and over exploitation.
The interactions related to climate change is often complex, which includes
interactions between social, ecological and economic systems, and this makes
future predictions very difficult, however steps are required to develop models that
could help the policy makers to frame adaptation strategies. Fisheries governance
should aim towards equitable and sustainable options and should be flexible enough
to account for inherent uncertainties in the fisheries sector. However, adaptation
may be costly, so mitigation of emissions and other factors that contribute significantly to climate related issues should be the main recourse.
Keywords Fishery technology · Adaptation · Bycatch reduction devices ·
Trawling
C. N. Ravishankar (*) · V. R. Madhu
ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin, Kerala, India