Climate Change; How the weather plays a major role in affecting the fishing activities in some coastal areas

 By: Sonia Emmanuella V Narkie Kumah

Photo credit: Sonia Emmanuella V Nakie Kumah

Climate change is affecting various aspects of our lives, from the environment and natural resources to agriculture, public health, and even our economies. Its impacts can be seen in extreme weather events, sea-level rise, changes in ecosystems, and disruptions to food production.

It has become a pressing issue, impacting various aspects of our lives, including the fishing industry, following the effects of rising sea temperatures on fishermen and their livelihoods and also delving into the changing weather patterns and their influence on fishing practices and approaching the challenges faced by fishermen.

First of all, what is climate change and are people aware of it? Well, climate change refers to long-term shifts and alterations in Earth's climate patterns, caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation etc and gradually these activities release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to global warming, rising temperatures, changes in weather patterns, and other environmental impacts and with a lot of environmental ignorance it has become a very crucial issue that people need to be educated about.

Climate change has had a significant impact on weather patterns, which in affects fishermen and their fishing practices. They are not able to navigate through the seasons to know when there’s a lot of fish  and when there is not, which becomes tiring and difficult for them.

Rising sea temperatures, unpredictable storms, and changes in ocean currents have disrupted traditional fishing seasons and migration patterns of fish. This has made it challenging for fishermen to predict when and where to fish.

Also rising sea temperatures have an effect on fish behaviors, for instance, warmer water can affect the distribution and behavior of fish species, causing the fishes  to migrate to different areas. This makes it harder for fishermen to locate and catch their target species. According to the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, warmer waters can lead to the growth of harmful algal blooms, which can be toxic to fish and other marine life. Algal blooms, also known as harmful algal blooms (HABs), are excessive growths of algae in bodies of water and they produce toxins that are harmful to marine life and humans.

It has led to ocean acidification, which affects the growth and development of marine organisms, including fish. Changing weather patterns, such as increased frequency of extreme events like hurricanes and heatwaves, can disrupt fishing operations and damage fishing infrastructure. Not to exclude that rising sea levels can cause fishermen their homes and lives. Other departments like US department of state, has stated how the ocean acidification is affecting marine life.

 

These are just a few more points highlighting the  effects of climate change on the fishing industry from the change in weather patterns perspective. In all we play a major role since primarily human activities played a key part in climate change and with appreciation of how our environment is being affected we can also change the whole narrative.