‘Concerted efforts needed to address marine pollution’

Kochi: Local mitigation efforts can go a long way in addressing marine pollution as it is a global issue and concerted efforts are needed to address it, said marine experts at a one-day conference held as part of the conclusion of the national campaign programme on Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar (Clean Coast- Safe Sea) at CIFT on Monday. The conference was held in collaboration with the ministry of earth sciences.

“Plastic accounts for 85% of marine litter and it has found its way into seafood. Toxicological profiling of polyvinyl chloride microplastics showed biochemical, haematological and behavioural changes in the native fish Etroplus suratensis (karimeen),” said S Bijoy Nandan, professor, department of marine biology, microbiology and biochemistry, Cusat. “Globally around 14 million tonnes of marine litter ended up in the oceans and India is considered the 12th largest source of marine litter. Microplastics are a potential threat to seafood safety,” he added.

In her presidential address, CIFT director Leela Edwin emphasized that marine pollution is a global problem. “The plastics being dumped directly into the seas are detrimental to marine biodiversity, ecosystems, and fisheries. Awareness generation and social participation are the keys,” she said.

“Mangroves are forests that keep the health of the ocean and protect the land,” said B K Tyagi of Vigyan Prasar, department of science and technology, New Delhi. Besides, it serves as an essential part of the habitat for several fish species. Mangroves could moderate the forces of tidal waves during the tsunami that devastated Indian coasts in 2005. They help in mitigating coastal erosion as well.

“The remnants of fishing gear that are left in the seas are a major cause of fish loss at sea,” said MP Remesan, principal scientist-CIFT. Marine organisms get entangled in the fishing gears nets left in the sea, leading to “ghost fishing”. CIFT has been working on the aspects of marine litter for a decade and researched “abandoned lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear and vessels, its impacts to the environment”. The fishermen are to be encouraged to bring to the shore the damaged nets they come across.