| Share facebook | RSS

1
Comments

ambassador Report View

Impact of climate change on Fishing and Aquaculture: Working in the water

by | 20-10-2012 22:25 recommendations 0

As being the agriculture student I want to  write about it. Agriculture sector is most vulnerable to the climate change and its adaptation and mitigation technique are necessary in this sector. Now I want to talk about working in the water.

 Fishing and Aquaculture:Working in the water
Climate change is already affecting and altering marine and freshwater food webs over the world. The long term impacts on fishing and aquaculture from climate change are still unpredictable, but we can expect to see changes in productivity within Ecosystems. In warmer waters, the effects are likely to mean less fish, in colder waters more fish. The fishing industry itself is a small, but still significant, contributor to climate change the average ratio of fuel to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for capture fisheries has been estimated at about 3 teragrams of CO2 per million tonnes of fuel used. Poorer people are generally less capacitated to adapt to the projected declines in ecosystem productivity. For fishermen and fisherwomen in poorer regions, which are the regions that will see most of the negative changes in productivity, fewer fish will therefore mean more hardship. Based on the expected effects of climate change, fishing will need to be undertaken in more extreme weather, farther from land, and require more human resources. More working hours and more fuel will be needed in order to gather the necessary catch.


In areas where fisheries are a substantial part of the economy, climate change will affect a great number of people. In the Lower Mekong area for example, two thirds of the population, or 60 million people, are in some way working in fisheries, or in sectors related to fisheries. Their work and living by the Mekong will change as the Mekong is expected to change, due to altered patterns of precipitation, snowmelt, and rising sea levels. While it is difficult to give exact estimates of what will happen, a sea level rise of 20 cm would, according to models, lead to dramatic changes in species in the Lower Mekong Delta. While changes in species might not necessarily lead to a decrease in the amount of catch available, a loss of biological diversity may have health implications for humans. Research suggests that tropical diseases posing a threat to humans are buffered by the diversity of species that exist in tropical countries. A decrease in biological diversity hence means a risk in increased spread of tropical diseases. Many argue that such diseases are responsible for the lion's share of tropical countries' economic challenges.  One of these diseases is the hookworm infection, considered a neglected tropical disease, causing childhood and maternal anemia, which risks leading to disabilities.


 In developing countries like Nepal young girls are often involved in agricultural work and work to support the home, such as gathering fuel and carrying water, instead of staying in school. For families who work in the informal agriculture sector, taking children from school to the farm is often necessary. It is important to note however, that in developing countries, children's contribution to a family's yield are often insignificant in the efforts to lift the family out of poverty, since children lack necessary training and experience. In addition, children are more vulnerable as agriculture workers. The agriculture sector is counted among the top three dangerous sectors in which to work, in terms of the number of work-related deaths, accidents and cases of occupational disease and ill health. In South-East Asia, many poor families rely heavily on small-scale agricultural fishing for their livelihoods, and with effects of climate change starting to show, they identify new threats to their already fragile positions.

     

 As women and young people make up a large share of fisher people, ensuring that small-scale fishing survives, through enhancing the capacities of women and young people to carry out their work, is crucial in the face of climate change. At the same time, initiatives that make it possible for children and young people, particularly adolescent girls, in fisher families to enroll in education, are imperative. Adolescent girls without education or only primary education face higher risks of unwanted and/or unsafe pregnancy, lack of sustainable livelihoods and lack of opportunities for empowerment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

no image

  • Dormant user
 
 
  • recommend

1 Comments

  • says :
    Yes most of fishermen and fisherwemen in poor regions don't even know the definition of Climate Change.

    Climate Change hits poorer people harsher...
    Posted 23-10-2012 18:19

Post a comment

Please sign in

Opportunities

Resources