El Nino may result in reduced fish catch along Indian coast: INCOIS
Kolkata, June 23
El Nino may result in decreased fish catch in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, the first bulletin on the event released by the Indian National Centre For Ocean Information Services said on Tuesday.
The INCOIS started releasing specialised El Nino bulletins to highlight the possible impacts of the ongoing system on the maritime sectors.
The first specialised bulletin was released by Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, BJP Member of Parliament from Telangana's Chevella.
The El Nino event continues to develop and is expected to peak in the winter season (November 2026 to January 2027), the bulletin has confirmed.
As a result, the sea surface temperature in the Indian Ocean will be higher than normal until April/May 2027.
"The marine ecosystem in the northern Indian Ocean (both Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal) is likely to be under thermal stress in the coming months, especially during March-May 2027.
This can lead to increased bleaching of coral reefs, more episodes of marine heat waves and reduction in the fish catch (particularly sardine and mackerel species) due to migration of fish stock to suitable habitats or due to decrease in the recruitment," the bulletin says.
It has also been forecast that the fish may not reach the desired sizes due to changes in the marine environmental conditions related to the developing El Nino.
"The sea state in the Bay of Bengal will remain rough during the monsoon season and there are chances for increased coastal erosion and flooding in the east coast of India," the bulletin said.
The sea state in the Arabian Sea and west coast is likely to be calmer than usual which can increase the window for operations of various marine sectors.
Coastal erosion and inundation is likely to be less in the west coast during the ongoing monsoon season, it adds.
Maritime operators have been advised by INCOIS to closely follow the alerts, warnings and advisories issued by it from time to time.
The next specialised bulletin will be issued in the second week of July 2026.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good that INCOIS is issuing specialized bulletins now. But we need more localized warnings for fishermen - not just on TV but through local cooperative societies and mobile alerts. Many small boat fishermen don't have access to these reports directly. 📡
Wait, the bulletin says peak is November 2026 to January 2027? That's almost a year and a half from now. This timeline feels very distant for immediate action. Are we sure about this prediction accuracy? At least the coastal erosion warning for Bengal and Odisha is timely - we saw damage just last year during cyclone season. 🌊
Less coastal erosion on west coast? That's some silver lining at least. But reduced sardine and mackerel catch will hit Kerala and Karnataka hard - these are staple fish for our daily meals. Hope fisheries department starts working on alternative species or farming methods. Masala sardines might become a luxury item soon! 😅
As someone working in marine biology, I appreciate INCOIS taking proactive steps. Coral bleaching warning is critical for Andaman and Lakshadweep ecosystems. But frankly, bulletins are only useful if they lead to real action - like reducing coastal pollution and overfishing now to build resilience. The ocean doesn't wait for political cycles. 🐠
A small suggestion - can INCOIS also provide this information in regional languages like Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam? Many fishermen in my village don't understand English or Hindi well. This data is useless if it doesn't reach the people who need it most. Let's make science accessible for everyone. 📢
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.