With the aim to help fishermen easily locate their catch without wasting time and fuel, India’s Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and the Space Application Center of the Indian Space Research Organization, both state-owned institutions, have formed a partnership to identify areas in the deep seas where fish can be found in abundance.
This research project, called Samudra (meaning ‘sea’), will develop a satellite-based numerical ocean model that will monitor physical changes in the oceans owing to seasonal and climatic variations, high winds, rain and cyclonic conditions. Physically collected data on fish catch, water quality and biophysical parameters such as pigments, temperature, salinity, nutrients, and productivity will be validated with satellite-derived data, reports the Hindustan Times.
The director of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan said, “The seas surrounding the Indian subcontinent contribute an average of 2.5 million tons of seafood. The potential yield of seafood is estimated to be around 3.9 million tons from India’s economic zone exclusively. In this scenario identification, mapping and forecasting of Potential Fishing Zones are very essential.”
