From the insightful corner of the Department of Fisheries comes a voice of both authority and concern, Ratnavali Poosawat – a trained ecologist. Ratnavali sheds light on an alarming issue: the oceans, which serve as sponges, absorbing nearly 90% of our planet’s heat energy. With escalating global temperatures and the oceans absorbing roughly 30% of CO2 emissions, oxygen levels in the waters are plummeting, leading to an unsettling phenomenon known as ‘ocean acidification’.
According to Ratnavali, global warming doesn’t work solo, it also disrupts wind patterns and degrades water quality in our seas. When we add the complications brought on by human activities, such as littering in the oceans, the impact on marine life becomes undeniably severe. Any living creature that depends on seafood for survival will face increasing struggles to obtain nourishments. Obviously, this chain reaction poses direct implications on human food supplies, Ratnavali remarked.
Picture this – on an annual scale, the sea levels mount by approximately 3.1 millimetres, leading to gradual yet worrying loss of coastal areas. The adverse effects of this phenomenon reach critical marine habitats that include breeding grounds for young marine animals and mating hotspots for species like turtles, fish, and shrimp. Coastal fishing communities also feel the ripple effects. The imminent challenge? Adaptation, because the spectrum of job loss and decreased reliability on the ocean due to the unpredictable climate conditions, or ‘climate chaos’ as Ratnavali calls it, is all too real.
In the realm of fisheries, the solution to these challenges may lie in sustainable aquaculture practices that maximize valuable resources. The implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) technology to monitor water quality and temperature in breeding areas is another promising strategy. However, as Ratnavali pointed out, the ocean environment is a complex system, influenced by an array of factors like global warming and industrial pollution that can only be managed to a certain degree.
Marine animals have picked up on these climatic changes and adjusted their behaviours accordingly, such as tweaking their egg-laying schedules and helping corals to recover. And yet, around 20-30% of marine species teeter on the brink of extinction owing to these drastic changes.
Rachawadee Chantara, a high-ranking veterinarian at the Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute in the upper Gulf of Thailand, expresses another concern regarding fluctuating winds. These sporadic wind patterns are not only instigating coastal erosion, but also causing distressing phenomena like separating mother and baby marine animals, making survival immensely challenging for those who are reliant on nursing.
Rachawadee warns that mature marine specimens and under-the-weather ones are vulnerable to death, resulting in distressing instances of marine animal deaths on beaches, in mangroves, and across sea areas.
On top of that, global warming is leaving its mark on the water quality in the oceans. This is particularly true for the upper Gulf of Thailand, where over 50% of the water is deemed unfit or is deteriorating. Rachawadee explains this alarming statistic: a blend of wastewater emanating from households, ships, and agriculture releases excessive nitrogen and phosphorous, promoting rapid plant growth, which consequently drains oxygen levels and tinges the water a menacing red. This phenomenon, known as ‘red water’ locally or eutrophication scientifically, reduces oxygen levels, thereby cutting off food sources for fish and causing their untimely deaths.
Rachawadee also pointed out another concerning aspect – the increasing acidity levels in the oceans due to absorbed CO2 severely threaten marine species with calcium carbonate structures, like corals and shellfish, as these sea beings labor to form protective shells in such conditions.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has launched a marine project to escalate awareness and encourage participation in countering plastic waste. The project will introduce cutting-edge technologies for observing and assessing marine mammal nursing populations and offshore habitats. The primary objective remains to bolster protection, preservation, evaluation, and recovery of coastal areas and marine resources. Rachawadee concludes by emphasizing a pertinent point – safeguarding our oceans and coasts essentially secures our food sources, warranting proactive participation from one and all.
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