The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Need to ensure fish stock and healthy ocean ecosystems stressed

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Friday, Nov 21, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Need to ensure fish stock and healthy ocean ecosystems stressed

Staff Reporter

Overexploitation, global warming posing threat
Collective effort to protect fish habitat needed

Kakinada: World Fisheries Day, which is going to be observed on November 21, comes as yet anther reminder of the need to prevent over exploitation of fish and to protect their habitats from pollution and global warming. The broader objective of the event is to ensure sustainable fisheries stocks and healthy ocean ecosystems.

UN report

In its recent report, the United Nations stated that 2/3rd of world fisheries are over fished or are fully harvested and more than 1/3rd are in a state of decline due to natural and anthropogenic factors.

“This requires collective effort by the world’s fishing communities and all other stakeholders to facilitate sustenance of fish stocks,” said World Fisheries Congress advisory council member A.S. Varma.

Mr. Varma stated in a press release that fish formed an important part of the diet of people around the world, particularly those living near rivers, coasts and other water bodies.

Livelihood concern

But this proximity led to severe ocean and coastal pollution from run-offs and domestic and industrial activities carried nearby.

Besides, fish had been overly exploited due to various reasons, to the detriment of those dependent on it for food and livelihood as well.

“The result is depleting stocks of fish, which is forcing fishermen to fish farther away from their traditional grounds,” he said.

The World Fisheries Day was a wake-up call, which implores all partners of fishing activity to ensure fisheries did not disappear and they continued to sustain lives by providing a good source of nutrition.

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