Surge of Sardines: Climate Change Shapes Fisheries in Kerala

The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has unveiled findings that climate-driven oceanographic changes are influencing the cycles of Indian oil sardine populations along Kerala's coast.

The study, detailed in the journal Current Science, found that monsoon rainfall trends in 2024 led to a sudden abundance of juvenile sardines in Kerala, causing both ecological and economic impacts. Notably, an unusual surge was seen along the coast, with juvenile sardines averaging 10 cm in various districts, including Kozhikode and Thrissur.

CMFRI's research incorporated fisheries biology and oceanographic data, emphasizing the importance of nutrient-rich upwelling that spurred microplankton growth, crucial for sardine larvae. This ecological boom increased larval survival, but heightened competition for resources led to poor weight gains and affected market prices, prompting a halt in fishing activities. CMFRI stresses on creating adaptive fishery forecast models amidst climate change to maintain the balance in sardine fisheries and food security.